Boku No Hero Academia: Shepherd, the Hellhound
by LeoNsaver
Summary: Why am I made to suffer, even though I have never done wrong? Is it a sin to be quirkless? Hakazuka Kotaro is just your average, ordinary quirkless kid. But he falls into despair...and the world shall witness the birth of the monster known as...Shepherd. OC!Villain. Warning: Contains depictions of gore and cruelty.
1. Just your Average Bad Day

A/N: After thorough consideration, I have decided to create this story despite the heavy themes. This story has heavy depictions of suicide, so you are kindly warned before reading it. If you do not feel comfortable reading it, I implore you not to be prejudiced when reviewing this story. The main character is based on a villain I introduced in my other story, a villain named Shepherd. But his journey in the world of BNHA will be different.

Without further ado, please enjoy the story.

IMPORTANT NOTICE! Oh yes! I have created a character art that shows how Shepherd looks when he fights! I can only show his face her. Take a look and comment on how he looks!

Image link: **deviantart/surrealeon/art/Shepherd-836702599 **(just remember to put the .com behind deviantart.)

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**Chapter 1: Just your Average Bad Day**

_In a small playground situated in the heart of Musutafu City, a group of boys ganged up on two around their own ages. The two had frightened expressions, the first was a messy green-haired kid with freckles, with his legs shaking but standing protectively in front of the second, a boy of similar height but with spiky reddish-brown hair shivering with fear with his knees to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably._

_"That's mean, Kacchan!" The messy green-haired boy no older than 4 whimpered as he stood his guard against his former 'best' friend. "I won't l-let you bully him anymore!"_

_"You still playing 'hero' Deku!?" Bakugo and his two lackeys smiled aggressively as he began to plummet the two helpless boys with explosions. "Quirkless shits like you can never hope to accomplish anything meaningful in this world!"_

_A few one-sided attempts to fight back later, the two boys laid eagle-spread against the floor, bruised eyes staring blankly into the clear sky. The rust-haired crybaby just wouldn't stop crying, making the other victim limped towards him and checked on his condition._

_"You okay?" inquired the greenette despite being bruised badly himself. "Don't cry okay? Everything will be alright."_

_The consoled boy looked wiped away his tears and looked down in shame, apologizing to the one who valiantly stood up to the bullies. "I-I'm...*hick!* sorry...If only...*hick!* I had a quirk...!"_

_Sniffling, he looked up with tears still streaming down his bright obsidian eyes, brimming with pain. "B-Because of me...*hick!* you had to get beaten up as well! It's not fair...why don't we have quirks?!"_

_His cries were responded with silence for a while. "IT'S OKAY!" The freckled greenette suddenly grabbed the boy's shoulders and declared loudly. "Quirks are not everything! People like us have our own way of fighting back, I'll show it to them one day! Because I want to be a HERO!"_

_"EHHHHHH?! H-Hero...?!" those words made the rust-haired child involuntarily gasp in disbelief, his tears stopping. "Even though you are quirkless?"_

_"I know it's kinda hard...but it is my biggest dream!" The green-haired kid puffed out his chest in pride. "I want to be the greatest hero! Like ALL-MIGHT!"_

_His words were met with a deadpanned stare. "Eh...but you're quirkless."_

_"We quirkless people have our own way of fighting! I'll show you!" The both of them then laughed and poked fun at each other._

_"My name is Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku. And you are...?" Izuku called out to the rust-haired kid, making him slightly startled before he replied with his own nervous answer. _

_"I'm Hakazaka! Hakazuka Kotaro!"_

**=[]=**

.

The world is unfair.

Heath…wealth…prestige…education…looks. Those are just a few of the many things people used to prove that they are better than others. Quirks are just another factor which differentiates others. With the birth of the luminous baby in China centuries ago, people possessing quirks have populated the world's population to a whooping 80%. Flight, super-strength, elemental powers…such abilities thought to be a comic-lover's dream have become our reality, and thus came the age of superheroes and villains. Even if you do not wish to become a hero, having a quirk may mean a few extra advantages in your live. Jobs, relationships…people have even become celebrities due to having a flashy quirk they can show off.

If you do not possess a quirk, there was no way you can ever hope to be part of such a wonderful fantasy. Unfair…can only describe what quirkless people feel in this age.

Unfair. The person who discovered such a word would surely have experience the same anguish and pain…

That was what Hakazuka Kotaro thought.

During his whole life until now in middle school, Hakazuka's peers had labelled him as worthless; an ordinary boy of short stature, having no mentionable traits besides his reddish-brown rust coloured hair. Of course there are other quirkless individuals like him, but he's just an easier target to pick on, especially by [Explosion] user Bakugo Katsuki and his gang of lackeys, Yatsuma the [Extendable Fingers] quirk user, and Torishima the [Pterodactyl] quirk user.

Yes, he was a victim of bullying.

**=[]=**

"It kind of gets boring when you do the same thing everyday~" Yatsuma gloated as he plunged Hakazuka's head into the Aldera Middle School toilet's basin.

The two 'sidekicks' of Bakugo had always picked on him ever since Hakazuka made the biggest mistake of reporting them to the teachers due to a previous bullying case. However, that merely shifted the target of their overflowing superiority over to himself.

They were currently the reason why Hakazuka's life was a living hell. Everyday, they would 'invite' him over to bring him into a secluded corner with big smiles. Moreover, the classmates who noticed this scene always turned a blind eye.

"I'll think of something new to do." Torishima, the other lackey of Bakugo said as he watched Hakazuka's desperate attempts to fight back against Yatsuma's hold, his rust-coloured hair dripping wet as he was continuously drowned in dirty water.

"S-Stop…it…" Hakazuka gasped weakly. "I-It hurts so bad…!"

"HUH?!"

"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TALKING TO?!" Yatsuma yelled gleefully as he repeatedly forced Hakazuka's head into the toilet basin. "YOU SHOULD BE SAYING 'Please stop!' LEARN SOME MANNERS YOU QUIRKLESS BASTARD! YOU THINK YOU'RE SAFE AFTER REPORTING ON US JUST BECAUSE THE TEACH IS THERE!? WELL THINK AGAIN!"

As Yatsuma said that, he hit Hakazuka in the side with his whip-like fingers thanks to his [Extendable Fingers] quirk. "Urgh…!" Hakazuka let out a groan as his face distorted in pain. For adolescence boys who develop their quirks, it was only natural for some to feel superior when they were granted a superpower. As thus, they are unable to restrain themselves from bullying people like Hakazuka, who do not possess quirks to resist. The poor boy could only clench his teeth and bear with it.

"How many minutes can you hold your breath huh~?"

"Let's find out shall we?! Maybe that'll teach you not to act like a hero when you are just a useless prick who tells on others!"

And so Hakazuka was pummelled endlessly by a string of punches, kicks and other devious mean the two lackeys could think of, making Hakazuka occasionally throw up some gastric fluid.

The two bullies were now laughing like madmen, just what meaning was there in torturing him like this?

Getting full of themselves and portraying as kings just because they are friendly with Bakugo. The worst part was no one dared to report against Bakugo or his lackeys due to fear. Hakazuka was left all alone, unable to do anything about it except mending his own wounds day after day…his future was bleak and the only thing he could do is endure the pain.

_'God…why am I the only one who gets treated like this?'_

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**=[]=**

The only person Hakazuka could confide in was Midoriya Izuku, a fellow quirkless individual who was surprisingly, trying to become a hero.

"Why do you wish to become a hero Midoriya?" Hakazuka asked his friend as they sat next to each other during break. "Even though you're quirkless? Bakugo and his goons really hammered down on you hard when everyone heard you are trying to apply to UA. So…why?"

"Ah! W-Well…" Midoriya began with his usual stammering. "It's just…I've looked to be a hero since I was super young and…and I've always watched All Might's videos. And for one fact, you never know until you try! We have to reach out for our dreams!"

"Dreams…huh?" Hakazuka chuckled a little sardonically. "Must be nice to have those…"

"Speaking of which…aren't you trying to become a vet since you told me you love animals so much?" The greenette continued. "I always see you playing with dogs everytime you see one, even when they bite back."

"Well I-I…" Hakazuka raised an arm in embarrassment, but that allowed his friend to see the wounds he had been trying to hide.

"N-No…t-this is…!" The rust-colour haired teen began to say.

"It's those two guys always following Kacchan isn't it? You can't go on like this Hakazuka-kun." The curly-haired classmates of his muttered worriedly as he gazed at the multiple bruises and lacerations decorating Hakazuka's arms. "Maybe you should report this to the teacher. After all, it's against the rules for them to use quirks in school in the first place."

"There's no point Midoriya. The most they'll get is detention. Furthermore, there are no witnesses…who will dare stand up to them? I'll try my chance of waiting it out until graduation, then I'll never see them again."

Looking at Hakazuka's bitter smile, Midoriya shook his head sadly. "Has this always been happening? If that's the case, maybe if I speak to Kacchan, he can stop those two…"

"No! You have it bad enough with Katsuki bullying you; the last thing I need is causing you more trouble. Trust me on this, they will get tired of it and give up eventually."

Even so, Midoriya looked like he was still unable to accept it, making Hakazuka reassured him with another forced smile. Finally, Izuku relented.

"Okay Hakazuka-kun, but if there is anything just feel free to tell me. If you're not comfortable in school, you can always come to my house."

"Thanks, but I have a feeling that if I go there, I'll have a four-hour sermon on your obsession with All-Might." he laughed weakly, causing Midoriya to turn a deep shade of red.

"Wha-Come on! I'm being serious here!"

"But thanks Midoriya," Hakazuka chuckled weakly, giving his friend a grateful pat on the back. "But I'll be fine…trust me."

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**=[]=**

If only Hakazuka could convince himself like how he did it with Midoriya.

"Don't be such a child," The imposing figure of his mother rumbled across Hakazuka from the dining table, her stern eyes gazing upon her child with the fierceness and loathing Hakazuka knew all too well. "Act like your age, and stand up for yourself. This is happened not just once, but in all the schools you have gone through; how long are you going to let other people trample over you like that. You should reflect deeply and think hard just what is it that make you so unlikable."

"I-It's not my fault…!" 13 years of pain and torture threatened to overwhelm Hakazuka as he swallowed a nervous gulp. "I don't have a quirk…so I am a easy target for-!"

A tight slap stopped his words short as Hakazuka fell to the floor, watching with terrified eyes as the loathing in his mother's eyes intensified even more.

"Are you saying we are at fault for your weakness?!" She seethed. "by that logic, do you mean that twenty percent of the world who don't possess quirks are easily bullied like you? No! There are many quirkless people out there who can become successful and rich, so why can't you?! You think just because you are not blessed with a quirk like most people, you can blame your own predicament on your own parents?!"

"I-I never said that-!"

"If you don't shape up and get some friends, how do you think you are going to survive in society?!" She continued screaming, prompting his father to lower down the newspapers and cast Hakazuka an irritated look. "Think of this from our perspective!"

"I-I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...!"

"DON'T STAMMER!" as another slap landed on Hakazuka's face. "I ALWAYS HATED WHEN YOU DO THAT! It makes me look like a laughing stock when we're outside, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING ANYTHING, KOTARO!"

"Seriously…" His father finally spoke out. "Where have we gone wrong that resulted in you being in such a state…Lack of a quirk…what a pathetic excuse. Your academic ability is barely average, and you are horrible with people. Such an incredibly worthless son."

_'I…can't even speak out…!'_

"Just why? Kotaro? Why are you such a lost cause?" the man stared at him disdainfully. "Even the way you talk and sit is weak...how shameful."

"Of course not, dear mother and father." Hakazuka stressed my facial muscles and brought out the brightest smile he could muster. "I understand what I need to do now. I'll reflect properly on my mistakes and make up with my classmates tomorrow. I'm sure the problem just lies with me…"

"If you can understand that, then say that in the beginning…goodness." His father adjusted his glasses and continued his dinner. "What a fatuous issue…don't pointlessly sour the only time all of us can eat together on the same table."

"I-I apologize." Hakazuka replied as he shakily grabbed my chopsticks and shoved whatever he can find straight down his throat, hardly tasting anything. "Your words have slapped me awake from my immaturity, I will try my best and strive towards your-"

"Enough," His mother snapped. "Don't talk and just eat."

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**=[]=**

That night, while Hakazuka walked outside, he chanced upon an abandoned puppy wagging its tail and gazing at him with bright eyes from an old carton box. What caught the boy's eyes was a wound around the puppy's neck, making Hakazuka's heart drop.

_Was it abused and thrown away?_

"You and I are the same huh?" Hakazuka thought sadly as he caressed the dog's cheek. "In school…and wherever I go…I don't belong anywhere."

With that, the tears held back for so long burst out like a dam, making the puppy tilt his head and muzzle against Hakazuka's hand lovingly, even though it had no clue of what plagued the boy.

_"…Maybe I should just die already…"_

_._

**=[]=**

"Of all the things, I have to forget my umbrella…"

Afternoon had long past with the final school bell ringing, and the heavy rain cascaded down like there's no tomorrow. Hakazuka just had to forget his umbrella and made a mad dash back to the classroom. Today there was no sign of Bakugo's two lackeys searching for him, which means that they were busy with Bakugo. Better to escape the school while he had the chance.

However, as he was about to enter the room's backdoor, he could hear Bakugo's distinctive cursing. "Get back here Deku, you quirkless little shit!"

That caused Hakazuka to jump back and cowered behind the door. It was only after a good few seconds did he had the courage to peak and see what was going on. In the middle of the classroom stood Midoriya, along with Bakugo Katsuki, Yatsuma and Torishima.

"What the hell is this?" Katsuki asked as Hakazuka saw him grabbing Midoriya's beloved notebook and scanned through the pages roughly. "You gotta be kidding me. Hero analysis for the future…you think a quirkless reject like you can compete with anyone?!"

"Hey, give…give it back here…" The green-eyed curly-haired teen timidly pleaded.

"For the future? Seriously this guy, Midoriya!" Yatsuma and Torishima guffawed loudly and mocked alongside their leader's disbelief. "You're quirkless! What the hell can you possibly do?"

Izuku just remained there shivering, his knees quaking with fear. He could only look at Bakugo with pleading eyes and hoped that Bakugo would be reasonable enough today and let him off the hook.

"A quirkless dweeb like you does not need this." Said Katsuki. He walked over to the window and placed the notebook between his palms. "It's better like this," Midoriya's eyes widened in horror as the hands of his childhood friend began to pepper with bright sparks.

"NO! DON'T-!" Izuku shouted and ran towards Katsuki before he could ignite his palms, but it was at this point somebody else decided to intervene. A figure unbeknownst to the three bullies rushed in and rammed Bakugo from the side, effectively stunning him and forcefully deactivating his explosion quirk. A small-statured boy quickly grabbed the notebook out of Bakugo's hands and hugged it like a precious treasure, placing himself in between Izuku and the three bullies.

"Don't…" Hakazuka struggled to say, before he screamed out at an astonished Bakugo. "D-Don't mock the dreams of quirkless people like us! Don't get us involved in that annoying superiority complex of yours, and F CK OFF!"

"H-Hakazuka-kun?!"

"Midoriya!" Hakazuka turned towards him and reached out. "I-!"

A fist burning with fiery explosions crashed deep into Hakazuka's side and sent him crashing into a wall.

"That hurt," A very irritated Bakugo hissed out, his eyes livid with anger. "Who the hell do you think you are, hitting me like that?"

"W-Wait! Kacchan please think about what you're doing!" Izuku yelled. "We're in school-!"

Katsuki ignored his pleas as he stomped towards a shaking Hakazuka. "I don't give a shit. And you, I dare you to repeat what you just said to me just now. Come one, say it to my face one more time!"

Hakazuka screamed as another round of devastating explosions assaulted him, making him coughed out bile and tumbled across the floor and hit his head painfully on a desk.

Hakazuka's vision was blurry from the blood dripping down from his forehead. He began to breathe heavily as a sharp pain overtook his senses. He was too stunned to speak, but his hands gripped the notebook in his hands tightly like a lifeline while Katsuki gradually approached him.

"Who the hell are you? You think you're hot stuff, jumping in like a hero just now?" Katsuki said with an annoyed look. "Deku's a quirkless nobody who is stupid enough to believe in an impossible dream, and you are just a weak busybody who can't fight back!."

"Oh wow Bakugo, that's harsh! Don't you recognize him?" Yatsuma and Torishima hollered and laughed loudly. "He's our classmate Hakazuka Kotaro! He's another quirkless guy who just cowers in a corner and hides behind Deku all day!"

"Is that so?" Bakugo raised an eyebrow as he lifted Hakazuka off his feet and shook him violently. "Well…I don't need a quirk to handle a worthless shithead like you. Maybe you'll learn how to pick your fights better after THIS!"

Katsuki swung a large kick into Hakazuka's stomach and making him gasped. The boy fell to his knees, clutched his stomach in pain and his head hit the ground.

While the two lackeys restrained a panicking Izuku, Bakugo knelt and slowly grabbed Hakazuka's hair, slowly bringing up his own face to his. "A person who thinks he's something he's not, is just stupid. At least Deku got his smarts, but you…" Hakazuka saw the most condescending pair of eyes gazing down like he's a cockroach. "…are just plain pathetic and weak."

_Even the beatings from those two lackeys never felt this brutal. This was Bakugo?! How can Midoriya have such a dangerous person as a childhood friend?!_ Hakazuka could no longer feel his body, yet everything felt painful. As one desperate attempt, the rust-colour haired youth threw a punch, which missed Katsuki completely.

"Now you are just plain sad, is protecting that notebook so important to you?" Bakugo commented mockingly. Before Hakazuka could respond, Katsuki grabbed hold of his face and delivered one final explosion.

"O-Oi...isn't this a little too much?"

"If this goes no, wouldn't he go tell the teachers on us?" Bakugo's lackey with the red wings, Torishima added nervously.

"He doesn't have the balls." Yatsuma answered in a sing-song voice as he happily snapped multiple photos with his phone, while Hakazuka laid motionlessly on floor. "If he wanted to report us, he would have done it a long time ago."

"Shut up and leave him," Bakugo snapped as pushed Hakazuka away and motioned his other two lackeys out of the room. "…is what happens when quirkless dweebs try to play heroes. So, one last piece of advice: don't bother trying anything."

"Hakazuka-kun! Talk to me! Hakazuka-kun?" Midoriya hurriedly shook his fallen friend, but found himself forced out of the room by Bakugo. "I ain't done with you yet you damn nerd!"

"You guys want to be heroes so bad? I got a time-saving idea for both of you, better hope to be born with a quirk in your next life and take a swan-dive off the roof!" Those are the words which echoed deep within Midoriya's and Kotaro's weak hearts, as the trio of bullys, led by the abrasive blonde left the classroom with Midoriya in tow.

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**=[]=**

Hakazuka awoke several hours later in a daze. At first he was wondering where he was, but then he remembered that he just got his ass kicked by Bakugo and his goons, and he was still in school. To his horror, the sun had already set past the horizon, casting his surroundings in evening light.

Why hasn't anyone found him and woke him up? That he hasn't gone home yet? Where are the teachers? And speaking of home…!

Alarmed by this realization, Hakazuka quickly unlocked his phone only to find a spine-chilling message from his mother.

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_Where are you? Have you not learnt your lesson from last night? You better be prepared when you come back to the house!_

_._

Something within Hakazuka cracked, and a torrent of emotions threatened to overwhelm the boy, so much that he almost wanted to hurl. With shaky legs, Hakazuka rose to his feet unsteadily and made his way out of the classroom, leaving behind his bag and Midoriya's notebook which he had painstakingly protected from Bakugo.

Soon, Hakazuka arrived at the school's rooftop and edged towards the railing like a zombie. As he reached the edge, his life began flashing before his eyes. Him getting bullied by everyone because he was weak-hearted and quirkless, having no one to help him not even his own parents. The first time he acted brave and attempted to help his friend, he was left in a pitiful bloody state. Quirkless people like him will always be trampled on, while those like Katsuki, Yatsuma and Torishima will never give a damn and continued with their lives, having the power to become heroes and get everything they can possibly want.

Unfair…was the only thing which described what Hakazuka was feeling right now. But it did not matter anymore, nor did he care.

_You're just trying to push the blame to your parents right, who do you think you are?!_

_Don't try to be a hero when you are just a quirkless nobody._

_Some people are just born luckier than others…just deal with it._

_Even if you're quirkless, I still think that you are the kindest…especially around animals Hakazuka-kun! Let's aim to be heroes together!_

"I'm sorry Midoriya…!" Hakazuka croaked with tears streaming down his face. "I'm not like you…I don't have…hope."

_"A person who thinks he's something he's not, is just stupid. At least Deku got his smarts, but you…" _Bakugo's words tore through his heart. _"…are just plain pathetic and useless."_

The words, ringing in his ears, were like a knife stabbing repeatedly into Hakazuka Kotaro's heart. It's so painful…why not just end it all?

The cold wind hitting Kotaro's face, gave him the most wonderful feeling…liberation.

And for a moment, he felt as though I was finally in control for once. The pain…the agony…its all gone as the rust colour-haired teen balanced himself precariously on the edge of the building.

"Serve you guys right…!" Kotaro squeezed out a teary smile. "You guys wished for this…"

Closing his eyes, the youngling known as Hakazaka Kotaro took a step forward…and fell.

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**=[]=**

The next thing he knew, the boy felt rain cascading down on his face.

The moment Hakazuka finally opened his eyes, pain coursed through his entire body from his left side. "Argh…!" When he looked at his left forearm, it was broken and bent in a funny angle. Blood was also seeping out in a steady stream, blossoming like red flowers on the wet ground Hakazuka was lying on.

"So I can't even die peacefully…?"

Despair assailed Hakazuka. He adopted a dazed look and looked up at the dark sky looming above him, dark spots slowly covering his vision. He wished for his sorry state to be over as quick as possible, but time decided to play with Hakazuka, prolonging his pain for who knows how long.

How long must he suffer like this? If he was here for so long, then surely someone should have noticed him by now? Where are the teachers? Where are the heroes?

_'Someone...anyone...either save me or kill me...!"_

While tears and mucus flowed, Hakazuka tried willing his body to move. But with his body so close to the blink of death, he could only make his bloody limbs crawl on the ground painfully.

Hakazuka at this time recalled his life to this point; flashing before his eyes. His days being bullied by those stronger than him, constant beatings, and the fact that he was all alone. Various memories flooded his mind until the last; the face Bakugo and his lackeys made before he was blasted across the classroom from Katsuki's explosions. Those condescending stares.

"A suicide attempt? How cruel…you must be quirkless I assume."

Hakazuka flinched from his new voice, as a tall man entered his bloody vision. A man wearing an expensive black suit with a weird helmet hiding his facial features, with a black umbrella in his hand. Good...there's someone...

"H-Help me...please...!"

"Why should I help you?" The mysterious man mused. "Your decision to end your own life is yours to make and yours only. The pain you are experiencing now...is a result of your own foolishness. And I have no use for foolish people."

"No...choice...!"

"You think that your death means anything to those who pushed you to a corner?" The man asked again. "That's wishful thinking, boy. Even if you're gone, the world will still move without you. Don't you understand? Your death means nothing."

"Help m-me…please…help."

"It's only obvious that the world is a cruel place." The man reached out his hand and took Hakazaka's hand. There was blood everywhere but the villain did not mind. "If you can't change the world, then you have to change yourself."

_Change…myself…?_

"I am giving you a chance, just one chance." He said sincerely. "To liberate you from your suffering." He added rather quickly before the boy could lose consciousness; the man could sense the life in the boy slipping away fast. "So what do you want to do?"

What was the point of saying stuff like that? Who was this guy?

And the next words sealed the dying boy's fate. "And I have the means to help you achieve that, if you are willing to help me. If you wish for it…I can give you the power to take revenge on this cruel world which has forsaken you."

Give? Hakazuka was hardly given anything since his childhood, so he had never refused any freebies in his life. But what was the use for free stuff if he's dead?

"Well boy?" The mysterious man urged on, and Hakazuka could have sworn the man was smiling behind the mask. "Time's ticking fast."

"I…w-want to live…! "

Now that he was facing his final moments in death, tears pooled out of his eyes and mixed with the blood, creating scarlet patterns all across his face.

"P-Please…!"

After choking out those words, the darkness engulfed Hakazuka. He had no idea who was that man, but at that point nothing else mattered to him anymore.

.

**=[]=**

"Welcome back, All for One."

A short elderly man, dressed in a doctor's garb, with a pair of thick goggles greeted.

"Hello there Doctor." The man known as All for One replied back, stepping out of the rain and into the room with a lifeless boy slung over his shoulder.

"Oh my?" The doctor Ujiko Daruma raised an eyebrow as he curiously examined their new guest. "have you found yet another interesting specimen for me? I haven't had much to work with since you brought me that boy Shirakumo Oboro. Or does he have a quirk that interests you? It's rare for you to bring someone back without taking their quirks."

"On the contrary, this boy is quirkless." All for One informed him as he tossed the boy onto the floor. "This young gentleman is going to be our new project; another piece that shall aid our cause."

"So you want me to try turning a quirkless individual into a Nomu?" the doctor questioned, gazing at the limp figure of Hakazuka with a slightly disappointed look in his eyes. "That is but a simple matter, but I honestly cannot see what value can a quirkless brat bring to the League."

"I may be blind, but my intuition has never been wrong; this boy is different from the rest." All for One informed Daruma. "I found him behind a school I happened to pass by, a suicide victim I imagine. But he was clinging on to his life, even though his body has been broken to an impossible state."

At this, the doctor's eyes widened…before his smile shifted into an expression of excitement, like a kid who can't wait to open his Christmas presents.

"An abominably-resilient tenacity, is that right…?" Daruma chuckled. "That means I have a test subject with a higher endurance for modifications and enhancements. Looks like the High-end Nomu project may have a faster completion rate than expected."

"No…I believe that we have more than enough puppets for now. I have another plan in store for our little friend here," A small smile played across All of One's lips.

"Well...if that's what you wish, then I cannot stop you." The doctor sighed. "But honestly...you should have left a quirkless kid like him out on the streets to die. This isn't like you, All for One."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." All for One chuckled darkly. "By the time I'm done with him, he'll be far from quirkless."

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**=[To be Continued]=**

_"Ever since I was born without a quirk, I thought I can live a normal life…I always wanted to study veterinary science, work with dogs…maybe find a lovely girlfriend at some point…Then reality finally sunk in for me that fateful day, the day where I died twice. The first was when I was pushed to a corner with nowhere else to turn…and the second was when I met the man with the mask, the greatest evil ever known to Japan. Now, I fully understand that my life is…"_

_"My life is a tragedy."_

_"My name is Hakazaka Kotaro, a quirkless nobody, and this is the story of how I became the villain, Shepherd."_


	2. Birth of the Hellhound

A/N: Thanks for the favourites and review. After this, I wonder if this story has to be switched to an M rating.

Without further ado, please enjoy the story.

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**Chapter 2: Birth of the Hellhound**

"O-Oh shit! What the fuck are those things?!"

"Don't falter! It's just one villain! Don't forgot your pride as Pro-heroes!"

"Continue to encircle him and fire long-range attacks! Don't get close! Whatever his quirk is, it's extremely toxic!"

Kamino ward was nothing but absolute chaos that night. There had always been speculations that this particular area of Japan housed some of the most dangerous villain organizations, and constant raids and patrols by Heroes have been common. But tonight, the heroes did not expect several corpses of their allies sprawled across the area. Some had died without having time to register what just happened. Others have their bodies bashed apart and ravaged while their faces sported expressions of absolute terror like they were attacked by a savage beast. The unlucky ones were left with their bodies sporting a diseased-black color, their faces twisted in agony while a poisonous stench wafted through the air.

As for their current fighting strength, only five of the original thirty-man group made up of Pro-heroes and their sidekicks remained, all of them displaying expressions of panic as they observed the one responsible for their current predicament. In front of them was a single boy, strolling casually towards them with not much of a scratch on his body. He had short spiky hair as white as snow, and his purple eyes glinted in the dark. He was dressed in a long black coat with a white-furred collar, long black pants with armored boots, and donned a mask covering the bottom-half of his face, which bears the design similar to the snarling mouth of a demonic dog.

But the most disturbing aspect of this boy was the thick tar-like substance oozing from his arms; continuously moving like it's alive and changing its form.

The boy's expression remained neutral as he pressed forward, raising his arms across his chest in an 'X' formation. The formless black ooze dripping down his arms drastically morphed from a dark fluid into two crudely-shaped weapons; the left arm resembled a large sledgehammer while the right transformed into a vicious-looking spiked ball.

"…heroes…just what could you be possibly looking for in these dark parts…?" The villain questioned in a chilling tone. "Or perhaps...you came here to die?"

"T-This can't possibly be happening! We can't break through his quirk!" a hero shouted. "We have to retreat or call a hero with a more suitable quirk!"

"Just retreat! We have to bring back the intel on this guy!"

"Retreat? Don't make me laugh!" another cried out, the panic in his voice growing rapidly. "There's no way I'm going back empty-handed while my sidekicks are killed by one brat! Keep firing! Don't sto-!"

The Pro-hero suddenly found himself hammered to the ground by a blunt impact. The boy loomed over the hero with the black sledgehammer-arm raised over his head. The last thing he managed to see was a close-up view of the villain staring down at him, revealing a youthful face no older than fifteen years old.

"Impossible…such a young kid-!"

Those are the hero's last words as the boy brought the weapon on his neck, effectively causing him to scream in pain and bringing his life to a grisly end. The rest of them just stood there, visibly horrified and rooted in place, their foreheads dripping with sweat. The boy just watched his own handiwork before stepping on the corpse and kicked it away. He slowly turned to the rest of the heroes, exerting a cold gaze upon them.

"…weak…"

The spiked ball returned back to it's formless fluid-like state, before morphing once more into another weapon; a black lance resembling a twisted jousting saber. Without another word, the villain reared his lance back and dashed towards the nearest hero, skewering him and lifting him high into the air like a flesh kebab.

"…**Schwarz Hagel **(Black Hail)…"

The sludge lance morphed once more to a cylinder-like object with a long barrel, hardening drastically and fired hundreds of sludge bullets like a machine gun. In retaliation and fear, the remaining heroes fought back in one last-ditch attempt to fend off the wide-range attack and try to retreat, not fight. However, the storm of quirk attacks, fire…bullets…super-strength…the endless onslaught of black weaponry displayed by the young villain tore through everything and the heroes found themselves mercilessly slashed apart.

They were helpless against this boy's quirk. The boy continued to tear their bodies apart in a gruesome blood show. For those who were experienced enough to sustain a few injuries, their faces were changed from relief to horror when the toxic sludge began to eat their bodies from the inside out; a deadly toxin slowly eating the cells from where the wounds have been inflicted upon. Corpses, both ripped apart and poisoned from the inside-out, quickly littered the ground, never to move again.

"…weak…you guys barely provide any satisfaction…what happened to the flair and gusto you displayed earlier…?" The boy growled. But the sound of hushed and panicked breathing aroused his attention once more. A single, wounded sidekick was trying to crawl away.

"S-Shit…! Like hell am I going to die here…! Villain? No…that's a freaking m-monster!" Tears and nasal fluid streamed down the sidekick's face, his expression and hair disheveled.

"…" The boy observed for a while with a neutral expression. A second later, he was already right behind the escapee, a hand grabbing his head and slammed him to the pavement, keeping him immobilized to the ground. A moment later, the masked boy reformed the sludge around his arm to fashioned out a lance again; pressing the cold tip of the hardened sludge against the sidekick's neck.

"…how unsightly…how weak..."

Sensing his impeding end, the sidekick begged, tears running down his eyes before he screamed in pain as the black lance pierced through his body, the body twitched for a moment, and never to move again.

All around him, the corpses of the sidekick's other co-workers were laid to waste, all mangled and beaten beyond recognition. Crushed skulls, smashed innards, bodies riddled with holes. Not only were all the bodies torn apart to the point where they lost their original forms, but the common trait about the victims was that their skin was blighted black, the toxic properties of the sludge eating their body parts and released an extremely putrid death stench.

It was literally a scene from hell as intestines and limbs were strewn all over Kamino Ward, all the heroes were slashed and bashed to death, or had the unfortunate agony of the poison eating their bodies. No one was spared.

He hadn't noticed that one of the heroes was still alive, hiding behind a broken pillar and watching this entire scene with a deathly-pale face, his mouth clamped shut and eyes closed. His heart was thumping so loudly that he dreaded it was only a matter of time before the villain could hear him. He can't risk opening his eyes, cause if he did that villain will…!

**"Shepherd…report your current status."** A deep voice asked from the receiver in the boy's ear.

The boy stopped and answered back respectfully. "…there are no problems Sensei. Sorry it took longer than expected for you to call me…"

**"It's okay Shepherd,"** The voice told him. **"I see that you were having a bit of fun with. How were our guests tonight? Did they enjoy your warm welcome?"**

"…No…they are all weak…so weak that it irritates me…" Shepherd shook his head, while the black armaments created from his [Toxic Sludge] quirk melted together into a gooey mass and returned to the boy through his arms, but the venomous chemical stench of death remained in the air.

**"I see, that is truly a shame. Well, not to worry,"** All for One's voice assured him. **"With the next task, I can promise you that there will be more promising opponents to fight against."**

Shepherd nodded and ended the transmission. As he walked away from the quiet streets of Kamino Ward, his thoughts traced back to the heroes who died, their faces full of terror and their last moments begging for mercy gave Shepherd an irksome feeling.

Those weren't the expressions he wanted to see...those pathetic expressions…the way they cry for mercy…it used to remind him of something irritating, but what exactly? Shepherd couldn't wrap his head around it.

Oh well, that wasn't important he supposed. All that matters was getting the job done and reporting back to Sensei. All he knew was that Sensei was his savior…and that his name was Shepherd. Nothing else.

He had long forgotten his past life or what his actual name was.

.

**=[6 months ago, in an underground lab]=**

_Hakazuka let out an unearthly scream as All for One grabbed his forehead, the former's arms and legs strapped tightly to the chair to prevent him from struggling too much. Since Hakazuka was a small boy as compared to the massive stature of the villain leader, All for One's hand completely covered Hakazuka's face._

_"What are you planning to do with him?" The Doctor asked his reveled leader with an excited look on his face._

_"I must first condition his mentality towards heroes," All for One explained as he ignored the hysterical protests from the boy to stop. "All wounds heal with time, but psychological scars will be a reminder of his pain, and his reason for revenge. The first step is to place him in a constant state of anger and madness towards his opponents. With the combination of [Memory Playback], [Emotion Enhancement] and [Mind Scar], I can forcefully extract out the most painful memories of his life and permanently set an endless loop in his mind, effectively creating a mind wired with unlimited hatred for heroes and his pathetic past self."_

_"Stop…St-stop this…STOP THIS!" Hakazuka gurgled out, spitting out blood and saliva, barely keeping himself together as painful past images of being bullied were replayed endlessly within his mind. He felt as though his brain was being pulled apart as the voices of Bakugo, Yatsuma, Torishima and others who belittled him bombarded his mind and placed him in an unbearable state of agony. Although Hakazuka wished for death, a part of him still wanted to live. When the pain became so unbearable that he considered to bite off his own tongue, the pain subsided just enough for him to hesitate. And when he thought he could endure this treatment; the pain rose to the point where he wished to die again. He could no longer form any normal thoughts._

_Abnormalities thus started to appear in his mind._

_Why do I have to suffer…? What did I do…?_

_How is this a second chance…? Aren't you two trying to kill me?_

_Why did this have to happen…? What was the cause…?_

_I…was quirkless…so I was easily alienated and picked on…_

_Bullies tormented me…_

_My family did not believe me…_

_I was looked down upon while I was alive…_

_Even in death…I was taken advantage of…_

_In the next three days, this treatment continued. Gradually Hakazuka's thoughts became darker with the increasing pain. Who was wrong? Who was the one who forced this situation upon him? Who harmed him? Pain slowly turned into rage, and grief led into killing intent. Seeing how the boy's expression morphed from endless despair to unbridled anger, All for One could only smile with satisfaction._

_"He's adapting to this faster than I expected," the villain boss wondered. "Is it due to the fact that he is submissive? Or does he harbour an underlying hatred for heroes at the very start? Either way, this is progressing more smoothly than we initially planned. Shall we move on to phase two?"_

_._

**=[Current, League of Villains]=**

"I'm opposed to this," Shigaraki Tomura grumbled. "I'm not bringing that battle-hungry psycho as part of my personal force."

"Shepherd was trained to be that way. And rest assured, he has enough self-restrain not to try harming you, or me for that matter." Kurogiri explained looking over the information folder that Sensei had sent to him. "He is a villain who was personally 'guided' by Sensei, very much like you. His quirk is extremely useful for wide-range suppression and working together with him will greatly increase the success rate of our future operations."

"His quirk reeks and disgusts me. And he's just a maniac who loves killing even our own men." The light-blue haired teen argued as he hunched over the bar counter. "He's going through the villains we painstakingly gathered like trash mobs in RPGs. If he loves to fight so much, he should be doing that to the heroes, not our own forces!"

"I believe that your first complain is due to a side-effect of his [Toxic Sludge] quirk," the black misty bartender deduced. "As for the second…I'm sure his tendencies are beneficial if we know how to utilize them wisely."

**"He will be one of the League's cornerstones,"** A voice on the monitor screen behind them gained their immediate attention. **"Shepherd has come a long way. From a mere quirkless nobody, to one of my grandest masterpieces. His power will help bring our plans to fruition. So…I hope you can get along with him more, Tomura."**

"He used to be quirkless?" Shigaraki questioned with astonishment. "Why would Sensei take in someone like that?"

**"All will be revealed in due time,"** All for One assured his disciple. "**But for now…I expect great things from him and you, Tomura."**

.

**=[6 months ago, underground lab]=**

_On the fourth day, All for One had Hakazuka strapped to a metal chair specially designed to restrain villains with strength-enhanced quirks. He had Daruma trolley in a stack of painkillers and anesthesia while he personally strapped the thick, reinforced mesh straps over the semi-conscious boy's limbs._

_Daruma observed with bated breath as All for One used both of his hands to cover Hakazuka's face completely. The Doctor had seen that gesture countless time; it was when Sensei wanted to take a quirk or give one to one of his loyal followers, but that wouldn't explain the restrains. It was Sensei's next few words that surprised Daruma._

_"Doctor, the moment he reacts, immediately inject the Noumu's regeneration serum into him." All for One instructed, making the bald collaborator looked at him as though he grew a second head._

_"So, you are going to turn him into a Noumu with its emotions and conscious intact? I never tried that before, but it's going to be unpredictable long-term-"_

_"No…what I'm going to give him is going to require more than simple painkillers. We need to the Noumu's regenerative properties if he ever hopes to survive this." All for One told him, "On the other hand, if this quirk rejects him…then he's worthless to us."_

_Without warning, the fingers of All for One turned black with blaring red veins coursing through them, and they slowly invaded Hakazuka, making a new kind of pain wracked through his entire body and making him scream again. Erosion, that was the best word to describe the horrible sensation corroding his body and it slowly intensified over time._

_"You know, this quirk belongs to a D-rank villain which I coincidentally chanced upon the same day I found you." Sensei told him, still smiling at Hakazuka's agony. "It was a powerful sludge quirk, but the user was an idiot who just wanted revenge against All-Might. I couldn't risk having it rot in prison, so I took the liberty of stealing it. It shall be the base of your new power, along with a few modifications of mine."_

_Hakazuka could barely talk, the excruciating pain making his throat sore from yelling so long. "In order for a human to handle multiple quirks, their bodies and minds must be modified by me and Doctor Daruma here to handle the stress; that is what we call a 'Noumu'. But what we are doing here is something different." Sensei explained, while the boy's flesh began to turn a poisonous black colour, but Doctor Daruma immediately injected a substance into Hakazuka's body, forcing it to regenerate. "The quirk I'm going to give you are quite dangerous given the serious side-effects should I utilize them. They are worthless to me, but let's see if you can handle this [Toxic Sludge] quirk. And now...[Forced Quirk Activation]" he declared, the masked man's fingers increasing their force on the boy._

_Hakazuka did not even bother listening to the madman as the pain skyrocketed into impossible levels. Something was melting inside, and it was as though every single one of his organs was burned by acid. He let out a ear-piercing scream._

_"I'll have Daruma continuously inject you with the Noumu's regenerative serum, while keeping you as close to a human as possible. So try your best not to die, boy."_

_"me…d-die…!" dark sludge spilled out of the boy's eyes, ears and mouth. "LET ME DIE!"_

_"What are you saying~?" The doctor snorted and injected even more regenerative serum into Hakazuka's body. "You are the one who wanted this. It's not nice to turn down Sensei's generous offer you know? By the time this is over, you will become a new man."_

_The venomous quirk was beginning to take its toll on Hakazuka, black toxic sludge spewing everywhere, along with blood and ripped off flesh. Hakazuka could hardly hear himself or the two villains anymore, making him wonder if he had finally gone deaf. The regeneration provided by the doctor healed his tearing body for a split second…then his body erupted in spasms again. He broke…and healed…and broke…and healed…this gory cycle of destruction and repair continued for hours._

_Where were the heroes…where were those who have sworn to protect the innocent…WHERE?!_

_"GARGH-KWARC-GARGHAA-!" incomprehensible words were spat out between the screams, the tears flowing out of Hakazuka's eyes were slowly replaced with blood. "H-HUST LEMME DAAAAAI!"_

_"Good, good…" Daruma smiled wider at this. "Keep talking, that means the regeneration is working."_

_"J-Just…let me…die…" Hakazuka's sent a silent prayer to whoever's out there to make it stop, before he succumbed to the pain and his head slumped forward._

_"Mm?" The doctor gave an irritated look as the test subject began to ebb into unconsciousness. "Come on! No sleeping! The quirk integration process hasn't even been completed!"_

_"Let's not rush things," All for One told Daruma. "We are making good progress after all…"_

_._

**=[2 Days after Hakazuka's disappearance, Aldera Junior High]=**

Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi looked at the third-year students of Aldera Junior High. Their teacher had introduced the class to the sudden visit of the inspector briefly, making them look at the sole empty desk sitting by the window at the classroom's far end. It belonged to Hakazuka Kotaro. Age 14. Quirkless.

The blood splatters found at the back of the school, as well as the several footprints unwashed by yesterday's rain at the school's rooftop, indicates a strong possibility of attempted suicide. Another major problem was that the body was missing.

It was a type of case Tsukauchi was bad at dealing with; suicide cases may have a lot of factors which contribute to the victim's decision to end his life, if there are no eye-witnesses it would be hard to pinpoint the culprit or culprits responsible. Another theory was domestic abuse, but Hakazuka's parents have shut themselves out of the media's eyes after the apparent disappearance of their son and refused to go outside, making investigations really hard.

So that was why he came here, asking the group of people who had the most interactions with Hakazuka during the day. If the reason was not home life, then it had to be in school. He wished he could interview them one at a time to find out more about the victim's daily life with his [Lie Detector] quirk, but the amount of time he was given for this case was despairingly short. Some of the higher-ups have even urged him to close the case and returned the body to his family, and worked on more urgent cases instead. Naomasa was furious…but he could not deny their reasons.

"As you are aware, your classmate has gone missing," he told them. "it is important to come forward if you know anything regarding Hakazuka Kotaro and the circumstances of his school life which may have caused him to have suicidal tendencies.

There several snorts from the back, making Tsukauchi avert his attention to the trio of boys seating at the center of the class, with the apparent blonde ringleader. "Who's that?" the spiky-haired teen demanded rudely, making the detective's eyes twitch.

"You don't even know your own classmate?" His gaze shifted to the homeroom teacher standing by the other side of the class board. The teacher just gave a sheepish smile, which probably meant that the boy's attitude was normal in this class.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Why would I care about a quirkless dweeb? If the body is gone, then he's probably alive right? I bet he's just doing this for attention." The other two boys beside him snickered in response. At the corner was a short, green-haired boy who just glanced at the floor with a nervous expression, which was rather suspicious to the detective.

"The blood found at the scene was real," Tsukauchi retorted back politely, albeit a little steel in his tone. If it wasn't for the time constraint, he would have loved to stay back and lecture this kid about his biased view of the quirkless minority. "I need not remind you that this is no laughing matter; your friend's life is at stake here. If there is anything you know, please inform the police as soon as possible."

Silence met his request, but this was something Tsukauchi expected. "Please…your cooperation will be appreciated."

He could only hope they got the message.

.

**=[]=**

_Everyday…everyday…the only time of peace was in the holding cell in Doctor Daruma's lab._

_It was my prison, yet it was my safest haven. Every day while I cowered in the cage, my entire body was shaking with fear whenever I saw those grotesque beings with their brains exposed called 'Noumu' being created by the hand of Daruma Ujiko. During the time when I wasn't feeling afraid, I would lay down on the cold floor, my entire body riddled with pain and exhaustion._

_Something was happening to my body. No matter what I do, the pain just won't stop, something foreign was moving in me…burning my insides. At times, disgusting black sludge would come out from my mouth, making me vomit time after time, as my body began to emit a death-like stench._

_What in the world was happening to me…? Were those things the doctor said true?! My body was being corroded by the quirk?_

_I don't know…all I knew was that these days..._

_I can feel myself falling..._

_ever so slowly..._

_into hell._

_._

**=[Midoriya Residence]=**

_"This was in the midst of all the items Hakazuka Kotaro left behind before his disappearance. It has your name written on it, so we assumed that it belonged to you."_

In the Midoriya household, the main entrance creaked open to reveal a tired Izuku, his hands clutching the 'Future Analysis for Heroes No.13' notebook which the police had decided to return to its rightful owner. Inko Midoriya rushed over to greet her son.

"Welcome home Izuku! Dinner's read…what's wrong? You look terrible." Inko said, ushering her crestfallen son into the house. "Did something happen in school again?"

"No…it's not me. It's about Hakazuka-kun." Izuku answered while his eyes remained on the ground, but his mother immediately understood.

Inko was worried that after the incident yesterday, Izuku may be facing bullying problems as well. She was glad that wasn't the case, but she felt extremely bad for the quiet but cheerful boy who used to visit the house to play with Izuku's All-Might action figures. "Sweetie…it's only been one day. I'm sure that Hakazuka is safe and sound somewhere. Everyone's trying their best so let's keep on hoping shall we?"

"Yeah…you're right mum."

"That's the spirit. Now quickly get changed and be ready for dinner okay?" Inko said with a warm smile. "Rest for a while."

"Sure thing mum, I'll be quick." Izuku replied.

Izuku went to his room and shut the door, sitting by the edge of the bed and gazing at the notebook in his hands; the notebook Hakazuka had risked his life to protect with his body and suffered unfairly for it. If only he was a little stronger…if only he stood up to Kacchan just a little faster…none of this would have had to happen.

"I'm so sorry Hakazuka-kun, I'm really am!" wept Izuku. "Because of me…you…your dream…your life, I'm so sorry…!" The green-haired youth broke down, tears streaming down his face as he mourned. On that fateful day, Midoriya's life forever changed. It was the day that he met All-Might and began his journey as the greatest hero, and…it was also the day that he lost his most precious friend.

.

**=[Underground Lab]=**

_Hakazuka gasped for air painfully as he felt Sensei forcefully activating the quirk added to his body, his massive hand gripping the boy's face tightly and rendered him incapable of resisting unlike the previous days. "Amazing…! The regeneration speed of the Noumu serum never fails to astound me…well All for One had a hand in that as well. But thanks to my genius, your body regenerates regardless of how badly damaged you get from the quirks' drawbacks! Just look at you!" Daruma enjoyed the spectacle, Hakazuka's skin and flesh melting off while his entire body was infected with bruises bearing a toxic black colour, only to be forcefully regenerated and repeat the cycle. "As expected of me, you heal so fast! Even though your body is holding an unbelievable level of toxins, your regeneration is still off the charts!"_

_"E-Enough…! St-Stop! I-I…no…longer…!" Hakazuka gurgled painfully, barely maintaining consciousness from the excruciating pain. He had no idea just how many days this torture had been going on for. He wanted to scream, he wanted to struggle, but the continuous screaming had taken the will to resist out of him and he resigned to just praying for all of this to stop._

_"I must take samples…!" Daruma walked out of the room for a while, before returning with a table carrying all kinds of contraptions as well as multiple glass jars. "You are the first human that we have adapted the procedure of Noumu creation to without removing your thinking capabilities, a pseudo-Noumu if you will. If I want to explore this new-found possibility…a few live samples are required!"_

_Daruma then grinned like a madman, showing his teeth before grabbing a pair of pliers._

_"To be honest, I ran out of anesthesia…" Daruma grinned. "But this is such a rare opportunity…so that only leaves me with one option~!"_

_"Wait! You can't be serious…! W-wait…S-Stop-!" Hakazuka yelled hysterically as he pieced together what the mad doctor was trying to say. With a horrible grimace, he felt the cold metal of the pliers gripping his finger._

_"D-Don't you dare! Don't you fucking dare!"_

_"What a picky little patient, kind of reminds me of kids when their parents bring them for their first check-up." Daruma gave a disgustingly wide smile, giggling like a madman. "Not to worry, the pain will only last for a short while…but it'll hurt a lot."_

_Before Hakazuka had a chance to respond, Daruma removed one of Hakazuka's fingers with one swift motion._

_The pain was indescribable, it was something that caused Hakazuka to give the loudest blood-curling scream yet._

_"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"_

_"It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts!It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts!It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts!It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts! It Hurts!"_

_"Your flesh shows obvious signs of rotting, most likely due to your new quirk, but what about the rest of your body?" The doctor asked as he tossed the removed finger into a jar of formalin, before moving to another part of Hakazuka's body with a new tool in his hands; a drill. "Let's find out shall we?"_

_Hakazuka could not see the deranged smile on the doctor's face as he eyed the test subject hungrily, greedily listing out the list of body parts to remove. "Mm…bone fragments, muscle tissue, skin, liver, stomach, lungs, intestines, spine tissue…"_

_Hakazuka let out a ear-splitting scream as the drill cruelly tore into his arm, splattering the room in a gruesome mess of blood, flesh and bone fragments. Ignoring his intensified cries of agony, the mad doctor grabbed another tool from his table, and proceeded to extract out pieces of flesh and bone in a messy manner, all while Hakazuka continued to remain awake and screaming from the absolute pain._

_"I know it's painful, but you must bear with it!" Daruma laughed as he continued his sadistic work. "You know, I have met children who are afraid to have their medical procedures done. What I usually do to solve this problem is to have them sing a song to calm themselves down, music therapy as I call it. How about we sing the song 'Ring Around the Rosie', hmm? If you sing, it will distract you from the pain and ease up!"_

_"W-Wha…what…?"_

_"You know the song, don't you?" Hakazuka could not see the deranged smile on the mad doctor's face as he extracted another bone from his toe. "If you don't sing, the pain will keep coming! SING!"_

_The poor boy let out a ear-piercing scream._

_"R-ring around…*hick* the r-rosies…!" The pliers tore into his feet, splattering bone fragments everywhere. "A-A pocket f-full of…p-posies…!"_

_"Keep singing~!" The doctor cheered merrily. The feeling of having his body physically torn apart was bringing a whole new level of pain for Hakazuka, and making the last bit of his sanity break, and his mind flooded with searing pain._

_"Ashes…A-Ashes…!" Hakazuka silently begged for anyone to make this stop! "We a-all fall…down…!"_

_"There we go! It's not too hard isn't it? I'm only starting with the outer parts of your new body; don't get me started on your organs. Those parts can regenerate by the end of the day-oh just look at how much your bones are deteriorating! Is this another side effect of the toxins in your new quirk? It won't be an exaggeration to say that your body is becoming a living pollutant factory!" Daruma told him, before continuing to extract flesh sample from the boy's wound, making him scream in torment._

_"Hey, don't make him squirm so much." Sensei scolded Daruma. "It's breaking my concentration."_

_"Haha, sorry about that." The doctor chuckled back. "Old habits die hard."_

_This went on for the whole day, and Hakazuka kept on screaming as he struggled against his binds. He banged his head repeatedly on the back of the restraining chair at the never-ending feeling of this hell._

_Just how long were they planning on toying with me like this…?_

_Please…someone…_

_Anyone…_

_Sav…Sa…sa…_

_KILL ME!_

_._

**=[Current, League of Villains]=**

Shepherd was met with the two core members of the League of Villains, Shigaraki Tomura and Kurogiri. At the end of the room was a old television screen which constantly flickered for no reason. It was the first time he was meeting the pale and rather scrawny youth with a hand covering the majority of his face. He looked weak as hell, and it made Shepherd slightly irritated. Was it because it reminded him of something? The other guy Kurogiri looked interesting as hell, maybe he should fight him instead. "So, you're here…" Shigaraki Tomura cast a glare through the fingers of his 'hand' mask at the hound-masked villain. "…Shepherd."

"…man-child." He responded quietly and bluntly. Shepherd got the memo from Sensei, so no introductions were needed. However, the way he addressed Shigaraki made the latter narrow his eyes in ire, the atmosphere in the room growing even more tense.

"Looks like someone forgot the give the dog proper obedience training," Shigaraki hissed, before redirecting his attention to Kurogiri. "Bringing him in here was a mistake."

"Don't be impatient Tomura." Kurogiri calmed the pale-blue haired youth. "The next operation is your idea; we have the right to ensure the highest success rate of your plans. Which means we definitely need Shepherd."

"As if," His eyes slipped over to Shepherd. "…I need a dog which may bite his own master's hand." Shigaraki added almost condescendingly. But he nearly flinched when he saw a trace of blood lust flashing across the white-haired villain's mad eyes.

"Shigaraki…don't." Kurogiri warned his leader with an unnatural level of panic in his voice. He had seen what Shepherd was capable of, having seen the villain in action during his 'clean-ups' when Heroes were patrolling Kamino Ward. What made him utterly terrifying wasn't the destructive power of his sludge quirk, but the fact that he was mentally unsound. The slightest insult, the smallest intention to belittle him, well anything he sensed that was pissing him off will cause him to go on a rampage. Kurogiri had a haunting premonition that if these two were to rumble in this enclosed area…even he may not escape unscathed. This entire establishment may be brought to the ground by the end of the day.

"…you look weak, but Sensei has told me all about you…" Shepherd continued. "…Sensei has also named you his son…so we are…brothers…"

"Like hell we are siblings," Shigaraki snapped, his scowl intensifying every second the boy was being in his presence. He would have loved to crack apart Shepherd's neck and snapped his head off a long time ago, but Shigaraki knew that Shepherd's body possessed a regenerative quirk in addition to his [Toxic Sludge]. He could hold his ground in a fight, he believed, but not without getting severely poisoned, which was annoying. "You are nothing but the League's guard dog with mental issues. Your annoying lust for battle is a major pain in the ass, I got poisoned the last time because of you!" he spat out. "You are nothing but a walking chemical waste plant."

This earned him a glare from Shepherd. "…you were in the way…you were weak, so you complained." A dangerous growl escaped his lips. "…and I despise the weak..."

"This bastard-!" Shigaraki angrily rose up from his seat, his twitching hands causing cracks to appear across the table. "What did you just say?!"

"...Did I hit a sore spot? If you want to prove yourself then I'll gladly oblige. Let's see who's the closest to dying this time." Shepherd retorted; thick black sludge began to drip down from the his arms.

**"That's quite enough,"** The screen at the end of the room flickered to life, and the deep voice of All for One resounded across the three villains. **"Tomura, Shepherd…cease this. Your goals are ultimately the one and the same, it would be your best interest to get along."**

The hostility almost vanished instantly, making Shigaraki sigh and sat back down. Shepherd dutifully complied as well as shunned back to a corner, while Kurogiri breathed with relief. Thank goodness for Sensei's intervention, if not this place would have turned into a bloodbath.

**"Well Tomura? Let's show everyone your plan."**

"We're going to invade Yuuei tomorrow," Tomura declared as he displayed a phone image with a class schedule shown in it. "This is next week's schedule for All-Might's class. Look! According to this, All-Might will be leading a class of wannabe heroes for a rescue exercise in a facility called the Unseen Simulation Joint, or USJ for short."

"…we will be killing All-Might there…right?" Shepherd asked.

A simple nod from Shigaraki. "Yeah, so before we can attack, we got to have some party members. Kurogiri has already gotten a few volunteers in prison and busted them out, but we gonna need a hella-lot more."

"…Those people will be cannon fodder at most," Shepherd told him. "…why waste time gathering so many people when we can just go straight for All-Might himself?"

"Is fighting head-on the only way you can think of? We are not going to attack the symbol of peace, but we are trying to lure him to us instead. Besides, there are other pro-heroes beside the symbol of peace as well," the [Decay] quirk user berated, trying his best to calm his patience. "Sensei told us that the All-Might himself as gotten weaker, but the other teachers and students may pose a problem. That's why we have to split them up and stall them using Kurogiri's power and the other villains. The problem now is with the number of allies we currently have…"

"…what?" Shepherd muttered as he received another hateful glare from Tomura. "…if you are so concerned about the numbers, then go out and convince those money-grubbing lowlifes to join your cause."

"And who do you think is the one responsible for killing them in the first place?!" Shigaraki snarled at him furiously. "Don't just kill friendlies just to sate your battle-urges!"

"…it's not my problem that they were weak and annoying…weak trash like them are better wiped off the face of the earth."

Shigaraki was going to argue but the voice from the television screen flashed to life once more. **"Enough. Tomura, you will have to go with Kurogiri to muster up more soldiers for this operation, I will also have a specially-made Noumu to help you as well; use him as you see fit. And Shepherd…there are things you cannot just do alone in your life, so you have to work together with others if you want to be successful in the long run. Save your bloodlust…the opponents you will face tomorrow will make the wait worthwhile."**

Both of Sensei's prodigies sighed and nodded. Ultimately, one word from the big boss is enough to make them obedient. The topic was quickly brought back to hand.

"Kurogiri can warp groups of people simultaneously, so we'll use him to split up the students and teachers. Send them to different areas of the USJ's disaster zones." Tomura looked at the dark, misty villain expectantly.

"I can do that. But what about All-Might?" the [Warp Gate] bartender responded with another inquiry.

"While the annoying pests are pre-occupied with our forces, You, me and the Noumu will bring down the final boss; it will be the secret weapon to counter that broken-character strength of his," Shigaraki concluded triumphantly, but an angry growl escaped Shepherd.

"…switch me with the Noumu." The hound-masked boy argued. "…I want to fight All-Might."

"You stay out of my fight," Shigaraki shot back with venom in his voice. "I don't care what you do to the other people but you better keep your ass out of the boss level. Me and the Noumu will be more than enough to take down the symbol of peace."

"…Okay then. I'll take down everyone first, then I'll kill All-Might."

"Did you even listen to what I just said?!" Just when things were about to get ugly again, the television screen turned on again. Never in Sensei's life would he imagined intervening three times today.

**"A decent plan Tomura, but not everything will go according to plan everytime; the situation may change in the midst of the battle. In the possibility which All-Might may find a counter-solution to your strategy…then having Shepherd join the fray would be the best to switch things up. I trust that you know just how devastating Shepherd can be when he gets…excited, don't you?"**

Shigaraki and Kurogiri paled visibly at those words. Both of them had not forgotten the horrors they have witnessed upon seeing Shepherd's first battle against the heroes.

It all started when a raid team of heroes and policemen, led by the overzealous Captain Celebrity, chose to enter Kamino Ward and attempted to erase League of Villains once and for all. It was a decision made from the pinnacle of foolishness, a death wish. Every single one of them came on the promise of fame, from destroying the biggest villain group in Japan, especially their leader. Their over-inflated egos only heightened when a single villain was sent to oppose them. Captain Celebrity only laughed and mocked openly how the largest villain group had to rely on a mere child to stop them, even telling Shepherd that he will be sent to a boy's home as an act of mercy.

That was their last and biggest mistake of their lives.

Their arrogant laughs turned into screams for mercy. The flair and gusto the heroes had displayed so flamboyantly instantly degraded into shameful attempts to escape with their bodies intact. The entire battlefield was blighted black, and the sweet symphony of screams lasted long into the night. Piles of blackened, toxified corpses littered the place, while standing in the middle of it was Shepherd, looking like the grim reaper himself. Just like how Sensei named him, he was a hellhound promising death to those who dared opposed the league.

"…fine." Shigaraki relented. "You will be our hidden card against the symbol of peace. But it's best that you remember that I am ultimately the one in charge of this operation."

.

**=[]=**

_"Aah, you poor thing." Sensei asked the sniveling figure of Hakazuka, his eyes red from crying while strapped to the chair after a month. "Does it hurt? Your body is struggling to accept your new power, and your sanity has been stretched to the limits. But you must not give up now, you have to remember who are the ones that forced you to this state."_

_"N-No…Don't…Please…I beg you…No…!No…!" he sobbed. "My body hurts so much…something is burning inside me…I can feel something melting…!" His body began to shudder violently, as black sludge dribbled down his mouth again._

_"You lacked power, and power defines who you are in this world," All of One said to the struggling Hakazuka. "The weak have no place in this world, and their fate has always been to be trampled on by those with a greater power. Quirkless or not, that has always been the unspoken rule of survival."_

_"Please…I beg you…No…!No…more!"_

_"The world is cruel. There are many people who live their lives trampling over others, but they blatantly say that everyone needs to live a virtuous life. A conscience? Morals? Ethics? Do those people who bullied you have those? No. Only someone who has not experienced what you went through have the gal to said that."_

_"Who needs those things? Those are just mere constructs that someone made up, to ensure that the world runs smoothly. I believe that everyone should be just however they want." Sensei continued. "If that's enough to break the world…"_

_"…then it's better off broken. Don't you think so as well?"_

_Disgusting black sludge just won't stop oozing out. The death stench just wouldn't go away. The disgusting corroding feeling like his body was degenerating couldn't be stopped! The pain just won't go away…make it stop! Make it stop!_

_Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop! Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!Make it stop!_

_His mind was dyed a corrosive black._

**=[]=**

_The pain just won't stop…it won't go away…just make it stop…PLEASE STOP!_

_I can feel my own body changing…everything I touched was rotted into the same black stuff I was beginning to be made up of._

_I can hear Sensei's voice, his words whispering deep into my brain like sweet whispers from the devil…better than the horrifying rambles of the doctor Daruma._

_This is just wrong…!_

_What did I do to deserve this…_

_Someone…_

_Anyone…_

_Please…_

_Tell me…_

_"It's because you're weak! You quirkless dweeb!" a familiar loud voice said with arrogance in his tone. "You are weak! Ever since the beginning you are doomed to live your life being trampled by others!"_

_I flinched when I recalled that voice. It has been so long…but I could never forget the voice of the boy whose words triggered my demise. As I lifted my head, I was surrounded by a vast white space, and in front of me…was Bakugo Katsuki._

_What was he doing here? Was I hallucinating? Hehe…hehehe…hehehehehe…looks like I finally cracked aren't I? hehehehehahahaha…! Hoo boy! To think I'll have to see him in my last moments…_

_"It doesn't matter really," Bakugo continued with a smirk. "All this time you lived with a desire to have a quirk, to be someone special. But someone like you will never amount to anything, given that you are always grovelling beneath someone else's feet. Dying should be a privilege for you." The leader of the bullied just kept on laughing. Just why is he here? Just what meaning is there for him to appear in front of me right now?_

_"Why am I here? You stupid twat, like I need a reason to do whatever the hell I want!" the [Explosion] quirk user said haughtily, moving forward and pulled my head back to have a better view of my bruised face. For the first time in my life, I had a burning desire to fight back…to punch his annoying face. "I am different from the rest of you guys; I was born special! I was destined to be someone great thanks to my quirk! I will become a great hero who is continuously sought after, while the rest of you scrubs can continue dreaming about what you can never hope to achieve! Just look at you now, even in death you are abused and taken advantaged of; forever a pathetic loser!"_

_"…shut the hell up."_

_"You think I'm wrong? Then how about the other people in your life?" The boy in front of me then switched to a visage of Yatsuma, one of Bakugo's lackeys with an equally condescending sneer plastered on his face. "You wanted to show everyone that someone like you mattered in this world when you jumped off the school's roof that day, but honestly no one really gives a shit about you. Do you want to know why?"_

_"…shut up."_

_"It's because you're nothing." The second lackey of Bakugo with the [Pterodactyl] quirk, Torishima now mocked. "You are nothing, even by quirkless standards. You are always just a cowering, crying loser. Nothing less, and most certainly nothing more."_

_"Shut up dammit!"_

_"And after your pathetic suicide attempt, you relied on a stranger who promises you a second chance. How stupid is that?" Bakugo came back to my view with his arrogant grin in full force, continuing his bashing maliciously. "I've seen Deku make smarter life choices than you."_

_"I'm warning you all…shut the fuck up!"_

_"But you should be happy right now, you have a quirk after all this time." Bakugo mocked with his arms akimbo, raising an eyebrow at the black sludge coming out of my hands. "But I seriously doubt that something as disgusting as you can come back to society. Do you truly think that you still have a place in this world?"_

_His question made my heart stop, but the bubbling anger within just continued rising._

_"The only thing you can become now as a low-life villain." Bakugo laughed. "Say…when I make my grand debut as a pro-hero, is it okay for me to catch you and throw you straight into jail? A pathetic attention-grabber such as you can meet your pals there right?"_

**_You have to remember the ones who forced you to this state._**

_I heard something crack as I gritted my teeth against each other, my skin threatening to tear from the chair's restrains. "After all, you were the one who chose this path. Sure, we were hard on you, but it's your own fault that you ended up like this. This is the least you could do for the world."_

_DAMN YOOOOOOOOOU….! YOU JUST CROSSED THE LINE…!_

**_If you don't, you will be hurting only yourself._**

_With my arms and legs covered completely with viscous sludge, the metal restrains were torn off with brute force and freed me from my bindings. I jumped out of the chair and pounced on the ash-blonde haired youth, my hands wrestling against his._

_"I'll kill you…!" I hissed out venomously, tightening my grip and not letting him go. Bakugo's eyes widened as his skin began to turn black, making him cry out in agony. He used his legs to kicked me off him, before gazing at his own hands in horror. They now carried a diseased-blackish looking colour, and the smell of rotting flesh permeated the air._

_"You fucking dare…! You dare to touch me?! You quirkless nobody!?" Bakugo howled with rage, charging towards me with his palm peppering with explosions. But a wave of sludge erupted from my hands and blocked his assault._

_Quirkless…?_

_Sorry…Not anymore._

**_What are you so afraid of?_**

_Why didn't I give in to this feeling earlier? This sense of liberation? The pain I so adamantly endured turned into pleasure for the first time._

**_All you have to do is follow your heart._**

_"My arms…! My goddamn arms-!" Bakugo's screams brought me back to earth. "You dare infect me with your disgusting quirk?! I'll kill you! You hear me?! I'll freaking kill you!"_

**_So...what do you want to do?_**

_Infect…? That's right…I'll infect every single one of you. I'll dye you black…just like how you dyed my world in. I'll rot you all from the inside-out and poison everything to the ground!_

_"I'm going to be the greatest hero! My arms are the hero industry's valuable asset! You dare infect me…YOU PATHETIC LOSER!" Like a broken record, Bakugo's foul language continued to spew forth as he blasted a wide cone of fiery explosions. But having known the very substance which made up my body now, I turned my arms into a sludge blockade, sizzling out Bakugo's explosive power._

_"…Who the hell do you think you are…!?" My voice gurgled out, massive amounts black sludge erupting out from not just my arms, but from my entire body and burst forth like a tsunami. "You want me to live under your disgusting superiority? You think you can control me at every of your whim and will? I'll show you…!"_

_"Y-You…!" The ash-blonde teen gnashed his teeth angrily as he pulled himself up, priming his hands for another set of explosions. His face was twisted in pure rage. "DON'T GET COCKY YOU FUCKING LOSER! You have lived your life grovelling at our feet, and you will always be!" He ignited his sweat once more and unleashed a series of long-range explosions. "I'LL KILL YOU!"_

_"…how repetitive." I dodged Bakugo's attacks with disinterest as I winded up my sludge-turned arm, before shooting it out like a cannon. The mass of toxic black substance missed Bakugo narrowly, and he rushed towards me with a triumphant sneer on his face. I felt the sludge being a part of my body, urging me to control it, and this time…I embraced it._

_The sludge began to change, twisting and hardening to whatever construct I envisioned with my mind; the formless toxic fluid morphed into a deadly lance, numerous spikes emphasizing its hellish appearance. Wanting to see his dumbfounded expression once more, I willed my other arm to control the dark gooey mess, and it began to change. The sludge twisted and changed, forming another weapon I chose to slowly torment Bakugo; a spike sledgehammer._

_I couldn't help but smile, a cruel and sadistic smile which I never knew I could have, as I watched a horrified Bakugo. "…it's my turn now."_

_In mere seconds, I was already right in front of a surprised Bakugo, who never expected his opponents to confront him so readily. The [Explosion] quirk boy began screaming as I began to slash and hack using the black armaments I formed, their devastating poison began to do its work. As I relentlessly assaulted the boy like a crazed rabid beast, I felt a great sense of euphoria…no, a sense of true freedom…the shackles which bind me from my weak past had finally shattered, and a new power rushed through my body like an addictive drug. It was so intoxicating, like I was going to drown in it, but…I had never felt this clear-headed in my entire life._

_I was reborn._

_Gritting his teeth in frustration, Bakugo distanced himself from me and leapt high into the air, blasting off his sweat as long-ranged explosions. I soon countered that, turning the lance on my left arm into a different type of weapon; a sludge construct resembling a gun barrel, with sludge hardened into sharp condensed bullets. Without warning, I shot them like gunfire. Bakugo could not dodge fast enough while mid-air and focused his explosions to deflect the black bullets, but a few escaped his guard and struck him. _

_"…got you...!"_

_They pierced through his skin and the toxins seeped into Bakugo's flesh, and he gave a cry of anguish as he fell to the ground with a painful thud._

_In mere seconds, the roles of the bully and bullied were reversed, with a horribly slashed and broken Bakugo, who was horrified by this turn of events. By the time my rage was temporary sated, Bakugo was on his stomach, his body riddled with horrible wounds with black poisonous spots blighting his skin. The sight of this was so satisfying…when was the last time I actually saw someone feared me?_

_I laid a foot on top of him. I observed how he flinched, just how quickly his face had become so terrified…so stricken with horror. Oh…I loved it. To think that the most feared bully of the class could make such an expression…this is bad…it's so satisfying that I wanted to stop and savour this moment._

_"You can't do this! Hakazuka-ku-!" I could have sworn I heard a shrill voice belonging to someone asking me to stop…but who cares. Such a weak voice can be shut off immediately._

_"You asked me to die because I was weak didn't you…?" I asked him, placing both of my hands around his neck and strangled. He gave a painful choke as the black sludge began to seep into his skin, corroding his body slowly and made him twist his neck in absolute agony. "Did you? You, Yatsuma and Torishima…wait…who are those guys…? Ba…who are you? Well, it doesn't matter. I think you made me die…yes…you did made me die, you and the rest of those guys. So, you have no room to complain."_

_He screamed as I increased the toxicity exposure level, making the sludge poison him at a rapid pace. He let out a silent scream. Do all strong guys like him make such a face when they are like this? I want to know more…I want to see the ultimate expression a guy like him can make…I WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DYE HIM BLACK!_

_"Y-You think…you can get away with this…?" The ash-blonde boy laughed weakly. "Hakazuka…there will be no turning back for you. You will go to hell for this."_

_Who was he talking about...? What was his name again...?_

_Hakazuka...?…I think I've heard that name somewhere before…was he someone important? Who was he? Was he m…me…? Whatever…I got more better things to take care of._

_I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll bloody kill you! I'll dye you black! Tear you into pieces! I'll erode you!_

_The massive torrent of emotions swirling in me…I gave a blissful smile as I let it forth as a massive black wave, consuming everything. The boy I hated so much, the world I was in, myself…everything…_

**_Everything was dyed black._**

_._

**=[]=**

_All for One had seen many things in his life, but none had caused him to hesitate like this._

_Daruma's lab which caged multiple types of Noumu, as well as where Hakazuka was restrained in, looked as though it was given a massive acid bath. The walls have dissolved into a gooey mess while most of the lab equipment had been corroded beyond form. The ground was littered with innards of Noumu. Brains, arms, intestines, eyeballs…everything was ripped apart while the entire floor was corroded black. And the worse part of all._

_All for One nearly gagged and walked back a few steps as the smell hit him. It was literally the stench of death, a smell only he recognized from rotting corpses or dangerous pollutants. However, sitting in the center of it all was the child who he had so carefully nurtured for the past month._

_Hakazuka didn't look the same anymore. His rust-colored hair had turned completely white, like freshly fallen snow. His clothes were in tattered and his shoes have been eroded to a sticky mess._

_The villain leader was wondering just how to proceed with this development, but then the boy slowly looked up. His eyes were blank, without a trace of emotion. But when he saw All for One, an angel-like grin crept into his face and he greeted. "…good morning…"_

_No trace of ill-intention or malice towards him. That could only mean one thing; his 'guidance' had succeeded. It made All for One smile beneath the mask._

_"Congratulations," Sensei slowly clapped his hands as he ruffled the boy's new white hair. "You endured hell itself, gritted your teeth, and from the ashes of your past self, you were reborned. You have not betrayed my expectations, Hakazuka-kun."_

_"Ha…ka…zu…ka…?" The youth spoke the name as though it was foreign to him, giving All for One a black stare. "Who…who's…that…?"_

_That caused All for One to pause, falling silent. He carefully examined him, before taking a good reading of his second to-be prodigy. He may not be able to see anymore, but he could sense a calm yet deadly energy surrounding the boy. All traces of the boy who was crying hysterically and broken just yesterday seemed to have disappeared completely._

_All for One internally took back his previous statement; the boy had surpassed what he had originally planned. "…that is someone who is of no concern to you. Not anymore." He answered slowly. "How are you feeling right now?"_

_"…pretty good."_

_"WHAAAAAA! What have you done to my wonderful creations?! ALL THOSE CHILDREN I HAVE CREATED WITH MY OWN TIME, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS!? WHAT DID YOU DO YOU DAMN BRAT!?" Daruma screeched nosily as he stared at the sad remains of the lab in horror; the floor was corroded black while bodies of Noumus were ripped into shreds and spilled body matter everywhere. The boy found his irritation rising to new levels as the mad doctor continued rambling._

_"Do you even know the astronomically high expenses I had to pay for this facility?! ALL THAT EFFORT AND TIME JUST TO CREATE ONE NOUMU…! YOU DARE-!" He was about to stomp towards the boy…_

_…when twin torrents of black sludge shot out from his arms, and missed the shocked doctor by a narrow margin, infecting everything they touched black. But that's not all. The sludge twisted and morphed, rising to the air and formed two sludge tentacles with spikes at their ends, making the man crawl away in pure terror, before they returned back to Hakazuka's arms._

_"W-What the hell?! Impossible!" The mad doctor demanded with quaking legs. "How is he so proficient with his quirk in such a short time?!"_

_All for One said nothing. After a brief moment, a chuckle escaped his lips. "How marvelous…how beautiful…rejoice, Daruma." He told the nervous doctor. "Looks like our efforts have finally paid off Daruma. We have finally created something far exceeding my expectations. The ultimate killing machine which I have always desired!"_

_All for One then turned his attention to the boy, arms spread in welcoming. "Well done, my child. You have endured so much, and now it's time to show the world the new you! But first…a name. Let us decide your name."_

_"…name?"_

_"A name represents identity; a tremendous significance to your new life, my beloved child." Sensei told him. "Today, I will grant you your new name, to commemorate the day of your rebirth." The man brought the small boy into a gentle embrace. "It's time for the world to see the new you…Shepherd."_

_"Shep…herd…?"_

_"Shepherd. The one who herds flocks or groups of animals…a favorite topic of mine when I chanced upon the Old Testament." Sensei explained. "Just like how a shepherd watches over and guides the flock, you shall be the watchdog of the League of Villains, and you shall herald the end of the heroes…and guide us to a new age!"_

_"You have been reborn into the League's Hellhound of Death, Shepherd!"_

_"…I like it. Thank you Sensei."_

_"There's a lot of thing we need to take care of, but for now..." Sensei commented as he led Shepherd away from the fuming Daruma. "Let us do something about those clothes of yours. Your quirk is rather...special after all."_

_Daruma just stared at the disappearing figures of those two and cursed internally. All for One was right; he had most certainly outdid himself today._

_He may have just helped birthed something dreadful._

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**=[To be Continued]=**

_"I was broken to pieces…and I was so scared…so lost…all that was left was my world engulfed in black. But from that darkness…Sensei found me…and pieced me back together…But who am I…? What was my name…oh yes, it's Shepherd…but wait…wasn't it something else? It doesn't matter anyway. The one who alleviated my pain and suffering was Sensei; he's the reason for my existence…and I shall destroy everything…that stands in my way."_

_"Everything."_

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A/N: Leave a comment about what you think! :)


	3. The fearsome Assassin

A/N: A shout out to phelipebr, TheMexicanAttcker and Uniquebooks phelipebr for the reviews!

Warning: This chapter contains a lot of dark stuff which may not be for the faint of heart. Read at your own discration. Without further ado, please enjoy the story.

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**Chapter 3: The Fearsome Assasin. **

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**=[Daruma Ujiko's Lab]= **

_"How is the condition of Shepherd's body? The way he utilized the quirk I gave him surpasses even my wildest expectations, but it would be essential to know the limits of his fighting strength."_

_Daruma looked at the multiple X-ray images projected onto the screen, before looking back at All for One. He still harboured a burning hatred for the boy who thrashed his lab into a chemical mess, but given his drastic change in prowess and mental instability, it would be best for him not to provoke the said boy for now. "From what we can observe, the way he uses the quirk is similar to its previous owner; he can create, control and turn parts of his body into toxic sludge, heavy emphasis on 'toxic'. In addition, the boy can control the sludge to create various weapons, making the toxic sludge quirk twice as deadly. The modified quirk seems to have integrated completely into the brat's body, so well that the toxins from the sludge are threatening to break down the host's body."_

_"And I trust that the Noumu's regenerative quirk serum you used…is enough to counter that drawback?" All for One continued._

_"Well…yes. But there are limits." Daruma frowned in response. "From what we can observe from his battles, his sludge has a special infectious property similar to a flesh-eating disease called Necrotizing fasciitis. It devours cells and living tissue to increase its own mass, in other words, it grows stronger over time."_

_"So what does that have to do with his regeneration?"_

_"The sludge will gradually consume the brat's body over time." Daruma told him. "A dangerous fact to know about [Toxic Sludge] is that it eats the flesh of its user to produce itself. The regeneration quirk given to him already has its hands full constantly healing him thanks to the high amount of poisonous chemicals eroding his flesh and organs, if the toxicity rate were to increase to a level where the regeneration cannot keep up…"_

_"Alright, it's a good thing we are aware of this. If there anyway we can strengthen Shepherd's regeneration? It's optimal that we raise the limits of his sludge quirk to the highest level."_

_"Normally I could…but he trashed my lab to pieces." Daruma spat with venom in his voice._

_All for One chuckled. "I will take care of that." He told the doctor. "Also, I do believe that our newest addition requires special gear which allows him to use his quirk without unintentionally poisoning our own forces. I have sent Giran the order to purchase something from the black market, and I think you can cook some something for our precious hellhound as well."_

_"…I'll get to work on that." Daruma scowled. "But has he truly changed? He lost all of his memories prior to yesterday, even his own name. What will happen when those come back? Wouldn't he turn on us once he remembered how we tortured him?"_

_"Hm…who knows?" The tall masked man gave a wry smile and answered enigmatically. "He cast aside his past, erased everything he owned to be reborn into a human-killing machine. Should the day come when his memories return, after knowing what he has done…"_

_All for One used one finger to tap at his brain._

_"…I wonder what kind of face would he make?"_

_._

**=[Musutafu Police Headquarters, Conference room]=**

Having so many police officers and heroes in the same room would have felt the most reassuring to most people. But to Naomasa, it was just a bad premonition to what was possibly coming.

It has been decades since Kenji Tsuragamae had called the various chiefs of Japan's police force for a mass briefing in the center of the country's police network, Musutafu. A mass briefing meant many things to the crime-fighting force and hero industry, and most of the time, it was never good. The last time this happened, it was during the outbreak of the largest villain group ever to be formed in Japan, led by the man whom All-Might had considered his greatest nemesis, the group which was now currently known as the League of Villains. During that time, Tsuragamae was only just a junior inspector. Never would he thought he would once again be part of a massive gathering consisting of some of the country's top heroes. For all these personnel to be gathered on such a short notice, with such urgency, it could only meant that something big has happened…something important.

Standing at the back of the room overseeing this briefing were the Pro-Heroes, standing proudly with stern expressions on their face. Deatharms waited patiently with his arms crossed, as he occasionally tapped his foot lightly on the floor. Edgeshot stood by the corner silent, eyes closed while he waited for the news. Kamui Woods waited with a dignified pose while he gazed critically at his recently-debuted junior; Mt Lady looked disinterested in this entire thing, barely suppressing a yawn which earned her a glare from the [Arbor] quirk hero beside her. There were others, of course. But most importantly…

All-Might, the supposed star of the evening was missing…again.

At this, Kenji quickly explained the usual reason for his absence.

"All-Might has been executing his duties as a peacekeeper for several days straight, and we had him excused from his meeting to let him rest. He will be brief at a later date. He expresses his apologies for not being able to attend-woof."

That was a lie of course. At the very least, Naomasa knew for sure. Unbeknownst to most people, Toshinori Yagi's injuries after the fight with All for One had left his body wrecked and several organs ruptured permanently. All-Might had confessed to his long-time friend that his daily time limit to stay in fighting form was reduced to a mere three hours, but Naomasa had a sinking suspicion that it was now way shorter than that.

For those who were curious why All-Might did not have as much public appearances as before, everyone just thought that he was just so busy saving lives that he could not spend time on something so unnecessary. It was the perfect excuse to maintain public stability…but for how long?

The symbol of peace is needed, to boost the heroes moral while making the villains stay low. His current condition must not be leaked…at least for now. How could one lone man carry such a burden? – was what Naomasa thought with a complicated expression.

"Well, nothing we can do about that then. Shall we proceed with the meeting?" Touma Senbimaru, the police force's Commissioner General who was sitting at the front stated the obvious, making Tsuragamae nod his head.

Even the scary top brass of the police is here…just what happened?

"That is fine-woof. We can proceed with briefing now-woof."

"So, General Commissioner…why have you brought us all here to Musutafu's central headquarters?" The Pro-hero Deatharms began, his expression pensive. "…for what reason do you have to gather so many of us here on such a short notice?"

General Commissioner Touma nodded to Kenji, cueing the beagle-head chief of police to address the topic with a grim expression across his dog-like features. "As you know, we police have been conducting raids and patrols in certain areas to continuously flush out villain groups, especially in the area, Kamino Ward, where we had suspicions housed the League of Villains. However, in the past week, a team of 20 police officers were send to investigate a series of murders occurring amongst the villains in that area's perimeter. But in the next morning, we lost contact with them and they had all disappeared-woof."

"What? They went missing just like that?"

"To search for the missing team," Kenji continued with a grimace. "Another team consisting of thirty men, made up of fully-armed police personnel, 4 Pro-heroes (Captain Celebrity, Blitzer, Earthshaker, Stormhawk) and their sidekicks were sent to investigate Kamino Ward. That following night, we have received intel from a surviving sidekick that the entire team was killed…in ten minutes."

Everyone's mouth gaped open in horror at this shocking news. Even the usual stern expression on General Commissioner Touma's face faltered slightly into a panicked scowl.

Four well-known Pro-heroes…not to mention their sidekicks…killed in mere minutes?!

"T-That's…that's outrageous!" Deatharms shouted in angry disbelief as he stepped forward. "Those are Pro-heroes we are talking about! Just how many villains are there to overwhelm them so easily in a mere ten minutes?!"

"…According to the survivor, after what we could get out from him in his broken state, he told us that the act was committed by a brand-new villain no listed in the wanted database-woof," Kenji informed them. "Every single member of the hero team…was killed by a single villain-woof."

"I-I-I-Impossible-! That…can't be…!" Kamui Wood's eyes widened with horror. "A single villain…was able to do this…in a single night…!? The only one capable of doing that was the one All-Might fought-"

"It wasn't him. At least…that was what we concluded after comparing the survivor's testimony-woof." Kenji added. "Just look at this picture the sidekick had managed to salvage from that night. But I have to warn you all first…please be mentally prepared for what you are about to see-woof."

The room became silent as permission was granted to a nervous officer, and he flashed a photograph on the projector. The picture was rather blurry…whether it was due to the lack of lighting or the photographer's shaky hands, they had no idea. What was shown in front of everyone was…

A scene straight out of hell; a graveyard dyed in black. The streets of Kamino Ward were diseased-black like an infection, corpses presenting a sickish-dark color were sprawled everywhere. Some were mangled and others ripped apart beyond recognition. But what disturbed everyone in the room was…every single one of the corpses' faces were locked in absolute terror and horror, and the amount of blood spilled in the picture almost seemed to leak into the briefing room, infecting the air with a rotting, metallic stench.

"…Ugh!" Mt Lady covered her mouth to prevent the contents of her stomach from spilling out, utterly repulsed from the sight, while the rest of her colleagues remained disturbed. "Oeugh! *cough*! *cough*!

"No…no way…t-this…! This is-!" Deatharms muttered with a shaky voice, his hands gripping his arms tightly. "A single villain did this…?!"

Everyone was frozen and eyes widened in horror. Some were struggling to remain standing as multiple urges to vomit was rising in everyone. In fact, some had bolted out of the room and made a mad dash to the nearest bathroom to empty their stomachs.

"Wait…there's someone alive inside!"

True enough, in the picture and standing in the middle of this hellish sight…was a figure dressed in a black coat with a fur collar, with dark pants and high boots, the most distinctive feature being his spiky snow-white hair and a demonic-dog mask hiding his lower facial features. The way he was looking at the scene was just like how an artist appraises his own art; a demon painting a hellscape.

"According to the survivor," Kenji added. "This villain calls him as…Shepherd, the Hellhound-woof."

"I can't…believe it…!" Deatharm gasped. "There was such a monster hiding in Kamino Ward? What is his affiliation? The League of Villains?"

"…We do not know. There are still many unknown factors about this villain…" Kenji stated with grimace, wishing to remove the scene of hell from his mind. "But one thing's for certain-woof," Everyone frowned at the beagle-headed chief of police's words. "This is the first time such a vicious villain has come out into the open, a villain far more dangerous than the very man who founded the League of Villains."

They had came across many types of villains, those who commited crimes for a quick buck…those who just wanted to fool around…those who wished to control others…and this villain appeared to be under one of the most dangerous classifications; mentally unstable and psychopathic, villains who desired to kill for their sick amusement and satisfaction.

"…just when we though we can finally enjoy a moment of peace thanks to All Might," Nighteye, the former sidekick of All-Might spoke out in a solemn tone. "If a monster like that appears out in the open, then it's high time we snap out of the relaxed mood and prepare for the worst."

"…that I agree Nighteye-sir." Naomasa voiced his opinion, his face still sweating from the disturbing scene of carnage. "In any case, it's essential that we have to know everything about this guy. And obviously…his quirk."

_A dark poisonous substance._

_Corpses tainted black._

_The entire battlefield looking like it was infected by a plague._

**A quirk capable of poisoning and tearing apart everything in its path.**

"It appears to be an extremely versatile emitter-type quirk," Kenji read out from the files. "Capable of producing large amounts of sludge-like substances for both offensive and defensive uses. Reports from the autopsy lab have also testified that the villain's quirk contains an extremely deadly metallic toxin which breaks down the cells of any organic matter to replicate itself, which explains the…colour of the corpses."

"So," The ninja Pro-hero Edgeshot finally spoke up with narrowed eyes. "Where are his current whereabouts? Is he still at Kamino Ward?"

Kenji shook his head gravelly. "We have no clue where he is as of now. We have switched to long-range surveillance, but there has been no sign of him since then. But one thing's for sure…he has been listed as one of the most dangerous villains since he managed to take down multiple veteran heroes simultaneously."

"We should oust him as soon as possible," Kamui Woods, the up and rising rookie of the Pro-heroes urged. "Given the nature of his quirk, it's not an exaggeration to say that he is a living human hazard."

At Kamui Woods' words, everyone became deathly silent.

"…for now, our main priority is the location of this villain and formulate countermeasures against his quirk." Kenji forcefully brough the briefing back to its original intended purpose. "…and what everyone must do should they encounter this villain."

"As of now, all heroes and law-enforcement personnel are to be cautious and wary. Should you ever encounter this individual, do not attempt to engage unless the minimal number of 5 pro-heroes are present. Leave this to the veterans if you lack the confidence to stand your ground." General Commissioner Touma spoke sternly, his words taken to heart by all heroes, sidekicks and police alike. The screen behind him showed a roughly sketched depiction of a figure with spiky white hair, wearing a black coat with a white fur collar, and a demonic-hound mask covering the lower portion of his face.

"As for the villain…" His face gazed at every single individual in the room, his aged face becoming stone-cold and displaying unflinching resolve. "The individual known as Shepherd…is hereby declared as a rank S villain. That's all!"

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**=[League of Villains Headquarters]=**

Shepherd entered the bar. His eyes scanned the room and confirmed that only the villain bartender was present. "…Kurogiri." He gave a small bow in respect.

"Good afternoon, Shepherd." The dark misty villain nodded his head in greeting and showed the boy his seat.

"…I was told by Sensei that he needed me here…to see some broker…where…?"

"The broker has already arrived and waiting," Kurogiri informed him, while preparing the boy's usual drink at the same time. "But for now, please feel free to relax. Here's your Vanilla Iced Coffee."

"…relaxed huh…?" The white-haired kid removed his leather hound-mask while accepting the drink gratefully. "…is the man-child here?"

"It's Shigaraki Tomura," Kurogiri corrected politely. "For both of our sakes, I kindly suggest that you refer to him as such. The boy gets riled up easily if he feels belittled."

"…he's noisy…an eyesore…he complains over the smallest things…when things do not go his way…he's weak…" Shepherd told the [Warp Gate] bartender. "…The strong never has to act that way…an indomitable presence…making everyone kneel before him with nothing but power…that is what Sensei is…why I loved him. But Tomura Shigaraki…I don't understand…just what makes him strong…?"

Kurogiri fell silent for a while before asking the frowning boy. "Shepherd…why do you hate weak people so much?"

"…I don't know…it just gets irritating," Shepherd displayed a rather perplexed expression. "…Whenever I see someone begging for mercy…or their crying face when they beg me to stop…I just feel very nasty inside…like I was reminded of something very irritating."

Kurogiri observed as Shepherd grabbed the drink with two hands and chugged it down, a little sad and forlorn. Sometimes the villain bartender just forgets that at the end of the day, Shepherd is just a child. Was this really the same boy who has the potential to start a bloodbath at the smallest provocation?

"Ah," Kurogiri's attention shifted as a familiar figure stepped into the dimly-lit bar, carrying two metal briefcases. "Looks like the broker is here, Shepherd." The boy's eyes widened slightly as a rather shady character entered the room. He was a middle-aged man with a mop of grey hair combed to the side, had a small goatee and mustache, along with a pair of circular glasses perched on his nose. He was dressed in purple dress pants and a matching blazer over a white collared shirt, and a scarf reminding Shepherd of intestines wrapped around the broker's neck.

Kurogiri quickly introduced the man. "Shepherd, meet the broker associated with our League, Giran. Besides supplying us with various supplies, he has helped us sourced out potential members for our organization. Giran, this boy here is…"

"Ah yes…the ever so famous Shepherd which has been making waves in the underground recently. It's truly a pleasure to finally meet you." The man called Giran greeted in an oily voice. Honestly, Giran expected the famous Shepherd to be some sort of crazy psychopath who was not hesitant to take lives on a whim. But much to his surprise, standing in front of him was a scowling youth around the age of sixteen. When he extended his hand in greeting, the boy just stared at him with a suspicious look.

"…what is this guy's purpose here…?"

"Not so friendly, is he?" Giran smirked.

"I'm sorry about Giran," Kurogiri told him softly. "He doesn't open up to strangers that well. Shepherd, don't you remember? Sensei asked him to prepare your gear for Tomura's operation on Yuuei tomorrow."

"Ah…I see…" The old broker nodded in understanding. He then recalled the words of All for One gave him regarding Shepherd, during the task he was given to create the new villain's costume.

Shepherd was another of Sensei's sons and an individual chosen to carry on All for One's legacy, along with Shigaraki Tomura. He had been well-informed of Shepherd's strength, as he had personally witnessed the carnage from one of his gruesome battles.

Even now…he can't get the images of raining blood, internal organs and limbs ripped apart, along with bodies corroded to grotesque corpses out of his mind. Even though he was a villain and should be used to death by now…that horrible scene was forever imprinted in his mind. The way that boy battles is comparable to Shigaraki.

If Tomura was a living incarnation of destruction who disintegrates everything in his way, then Shepherd was a human plague who corrodes and tears anything and anyone who opposes him.

He did not know the exact full story from the man responsible for Shepherd's birth, but he heard enough to know that Shepherd was once a quirkless kid…before he was picked up by All for One.

After some…conditioning, he was made to the League of Villain's hellhound, a being whose only purpose was to eradicate the enemies of the League completely. Giran did not dare asked just what kind of experience the boy went through to become someone as broken as Shepherd, nor did he want to think about it.

Any mention of the torture will have Shepherd in a seizing fit. The last unlucky guy who attempt that was sent home in tiny boxes. Giran need no reminder of what may happen if he tries to probe Shepherd's past too much. If he makes even the tiniest mistake, he may suffer a fate worse than death.

The broker pushed his glasses up and gave a smug grin, revealing a missing tooth. "I was specially instructed to help you with your villain gear, given the special nature of your [Toxic Sludge] quirk. And I got just the thing for a special villain like you."

Giran proceed to place three metal briefcases on the table and unloaded their contents one at a time.

"You aren't a picky customer like most of my other clients and I appreciate that," Giran told Shepherd as he worked, while the latter merely gazed at the sketchy salesman with disinterest. "I was told you were fine with anything as long as its black. Makes it easier to order these babies."

"I've got what I could find on the black market in what little time I had," Giran explained with a lopsided smile which unsettled Shepherd somehow. "And I believe that what I have now is suitable for your next operation."

Pulling several items out of the two briefcases, Shepherd and Kurogiri leaned forward to see a new black coat, and a pair of armored boots…all colored in a mix of black and red designs.

"…I already have clothes. What's the use of this?"

"Well," Giran suppressed an urge to chuckle, given Shepherd's tendencies to be easily annoyed. "I've heard that your clothes always having holes or corroding off thanks to the nature of your sludge quirk. I don't think it's good for your image if your villain wear happens to completely torn off during a fight. Or would you prefer to kill your opponents while fighting butt-naked?"

A silent response from the white-haired boy made Giran grinned as he continued to introduce the gear. He held up the black coat and displayed it in full view; a design similar to the previous ones, except the fur collar was thicker and gave the outfit a more bestial look. Thin grey plating armored various parts of it.

"Polyolefin." The broker told him. "Extremely lightweight and highly chemical plus corrosion resistant. Bio-weaved into a coat similar to those worn by people dealing with highly-radioactive and reactive chemical plants. I put in a special order to have it reinforced with boron carbon plates on the outside. Figured you need something to protect yourself with should you come under heavy gunfire. Those plates can survive your average Glock 22 used by the police, but try not to rely on them too much though. The body armor allows zero penetration, however…"

Giran faked a pained look. "…still quite painful, I'm afraid."

"…looks expensive."

"Ah don't worry about it," Giran assured with a smirk. "All for One has graciously paid for all expenses in regards to your new suit. I guess it shows how much value you have to him. The coat also has openings on your arms, legs and various parts of your body which allows you to unleash and shoot your sludge. The suit doesn't just protect you; it also makes sure you do not hit your allies indiscriminately and cause unnecessary collateral damage."

"…I see."

"And next, this…I believed that your mysterious doctor of the League played a part in making this for you." The final case was opened with a flourish, revealing the final component of Shepherd's upgraded villain costume.

"…I thought I already have a mask…?"

It was a brand-new mask. Compared to its previous leather counterpart which was better off in a Halloween party, the new mouth wear was more sleek, edgy and more menacing in design. It was made of a smooth black metal, forged to resemble a demonic-dog with gnashing canines, much like a restrained monster from the pits of hell. Its special feature was shown when Giran pressing a switch inside, making the 'mouth' of the mask snapped opened and closed.

"This, Shepherd, is much more than that party prop you called your trademark feature." Giran elaborated as he blatantly ignored another of the boy's glares. "More durable, corrosion-resistant of course. The mask also has a function to open the 'mouth', if you ever want to deliver a nasty…surprise if your opponent get too near." Giran could see that even Shepherd was a little intrigued by this.

"Honestly, I'm kind of jealous." Giran remarked. "Not even I received this much presents during Christmas. All for One sure pulled out all the stops for this one."

"…I see. If it's to boost my strength, then I have no complains…"

"If you want to see it in action, why not wear it now and take it out for a spin?" Giran asked, making both Kurogiri and Shepherd look at the shady broker inquisitively. "Why don't you test it out on a guy that has been a pain in my neck lately?"

"…what do you mean?"

"A real troublesome guy has been appearing in the outskirts of Kamino Ward lately. A psychopath-killer called Muscular has been killing both heroes and villains alike, whoever's unlucky enough to be on his bad side." Giran informed Kurogiri and Shepherd. "Apparently he has been targeted by the police even more now ever since he killed a couple of heroes and escaped. From what I can gather now, he is currently making part of Kamino Ward his base and nab a few followers of his own."

"I heard about him from the news," Kurogiri recalled. "He killed the hero couple known as the Water Horses, along with other pro-heroes and citizens as well. If we were to invite him to the League, our fighting strength would surely gain a tremendous boost, don't you think…Shepherd?"

"…so he's just a guy who takes pleasure in killing the weak," Shepherd spat out, his initial interest died out instantly. "…what a boring guy. I won't have satisfaction from fighting such a weakling."

"Except that he's not," Giran sighed. "He's got an annoyingly powerful quirk that manipulates his muscles, a power gorilla if you will. If things go on as it is, we will have a complete bloodthirsty psycho ruling his own group here, and my business will no doubt be affected. It will be great if the league can put him under control."

**"He sounds like a remarkable individual, someone which the League has a place for. Giran has been quite busy for your sake Shepherd, so why not try to scout him out into our group? He may perhaps be able to give you the fight you are seeking for."** With perfect timing, Sensei had just been listening to their conversation and decided to give Giran a helping hand, and pretty much ordered Shepherd to deal with the broker's problem.

"…If Sensei orders it, I shall gladly accept." Shepherd hated the idea of fighting for someone other than his mentor, but the thought of finding some decent prey for once made him excited. "…but if this guy annoys me, I'll get rid of him. Would that be okay…Sensei?"

That caused a thick wave of blood lust to assault Giran like a tsunami, causing a very frightened broker to jump back instinctively and almost bit his tongue.

**"Kuku…"** a rare chuckle from All for One resounded across the room. **"I would be extremely pleased if you can manage to bring back a potential candidate for our cause. But, in the event that you think otherwise…"**

**"Feel free to devour him…for your own growth."**

"…As you wish, Sensei."

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**=[Tokyo, Minato. Roppongi District Cemetery]=**

Izuku had always wondered just how lucky he was. He had met his life-long idol All-Might, personally trained in a gruelling exercise regime to attain One for All, passed the UA entrance examinations (well, barely), and began what he thought previously was an impossible dream for him; his journey as a hero. He held a flower in one hand while he carefully approached the tombstone in front if him.

Six months…it was hard to believe that it has already been that long.

The curly green-haired teen had gotten taller, more muscular than he hoped for and wore the standard uniform for Yuuei hero students. His confidence has risen along with his age, and a much more determined light could be seen in his eyes. However, despite that, his eyes held grief and sadness now that he arrived here.

In the end, they have never found the body, or any trace of the 14-year old boy.

The burial in front of him was nothing but an empty grave.

"Hey, Hakazuka-kun." Izuku greeted in a somber voice. It was half a year since the death of his best friend and classmate. Izuku didn't cry so much this time. The words Hakazuka had screamed out to Bakugo while he bravely stood up to him resounded deep within him even now. He risked his life to protect Midoriya's notebook of hero information; telling Izuku that his dream of becoming a hero wasn't a mistake, no one had the right to impede his path. He owed it that much to the rust-haired teen.

Hakazuka was never one to start a fight, but in his last moments, he stood up to the biggest bully of the school and fought back. His actions had given Izuku the hope he needed to push forward towards his dreams. It was his words that spurred Midoriya forward and tried to save Bakugo from the sludge villain. If he were to back out of his dreams that day…Hakazuka's efforts would have been in vain.

"I'm doing fine for now. The lessons at Yuuei are manageable somewhat, though the same can't be said for the practical classes…my new quirk still needs time to get used to after all." Midoriya paused, swallowing a deep lump in his throat before continuing with a smile. "Oh, and Kacchan got into the course as well, as the first-place scorer to boot, as expected of him…I think I still have mixed feelings about that, but I think that we can get along just fine." Izuku chuckled weakly, still having flashbacks from when Bakugo almost creamed him in the first training exercise. "If it weren't for you, I wonder if I'll still be here, talking to you as a hero student."

"I'm scared sometimes Hakazuka-kun, scared that more quirkless people like us will suffer today." Izuku bit his lip slightly and took a deep breath. "I'm sure that back then I was a little stronger…if I had just come back a little faster…you wouldn't have to take your own life."

"After you disappeared…Yatsuma and Torishima were expelled from the school, after the faculty questioned everyone regarding your circumstances. They tried to drag Kacchan down together with them, but everyone in our class testified that all this time, the ones who pushed you over the edge were those two only, so Kacchan was let off. Serves them right, I say."

Izuku touched the gravestone, gently following his fingers across the edge. "I'm so sorry we didn't even manage to find your body…!"

"Deku-kun…" a soft and gentle voice called out from behind. Midoriya wiped away his tears, turning to see a short brown-haired girl with a short bob, pink cheeks highlighting her face and the girl was dressed in the standard UA attire as well.

"Sorry for taking your time Uraraka-san," Izuku apologized to his female classmate, walking over to her. "I usually come here during the weekends, but I just felt like I wanted to take a small detour today."

"No, its fine really." Ochako reassured Midoriya, her eyes glancing over to the name on the tombstone to see who could cause Izuku to bear such pain. "I understand. Was he a close relative?"

"He was more than that, he was the only person who didn't laugh at my dreams to become a hero, even risking his own life for my sake." Midoriya answered back. "His name was Hakazuka Kotaro, my ex-classmate from my junior high school."

"Hakazuka…Kotaro…" wondered Uraraka, when the name began to turn a few gears in her memory, until it clicked and the [Zero Gravity] girl opened her eyes in surprise. "I…I'm so sorry Deku-kun. I could recognize that name at first, but I suddenly recalled it. He was the person who was suspected of committing suicide due to quirkless bullying right? I've seen in on TV."

"How much did you know?"

"Bits and pieces. It made quite the stir for an entire week after all," Ochako responded. "After what happened, some people started a campaign to abolish mistreatment of quirkless students in Japan's school system. There were a lot of support from families with quirkless members, as well as many pro-heroes. But sadly, it was never passed because of an overwhelming minority."

"Then I'll make it happen." Izuku spoke slowly, iron-clad resolve replacing the grief in his eyes. "I have always wondered what I wanted to do if I ever make it as a pro-hero. I had a lot of doubts in the past, but being a victim of quirkless bullying before has made me sure now. I will cease the bullying targeted at the quirkless. Never will I allow anyone to experience the same pain Hakazuka has endured, that I promise."

.

**=[Kamino Ward]=**

"Where is Muscular?"

Shepherd asked the villain nonchalantly, watching the mohawk-bearing thug struggle in his iron-like grip. But the man just gave him the bird and spat at his face. "Screw you!"

"…wrong answer." The demonic hound-masked villain silenced him by corroding the thug's body rapidly with a torrent of sludge from the inside-out, making his entire body fell lifelessly to the ground while sporting diseased-black contamination.

"S-Shit! Who's the crazy bastard who said that we can take this guy on?!" One of the spectating thugs fearfully watching from the side held the urge to vomit upon seeing the bloodbath.

"It's just a kid! Grow some balls and attack from all sides!" Another shouted as he rallied the rest of the group to rush Shepherd.

"…fools." Shepherd willed his body to let forth a wave of black ooze and created a black lance, swinging it sideways and silencing the overzealous imbeciles rushing towards him.

Without wasting a single second, the white-haired boy mentally willed the sludge to morph into a barrel, hardening the sludge into deadly shards and unleashed an obsidian hellstorm upon the rest of the villain lackeys; never giving the enemy a second to think before their bodies were torn apart like sandpaper.

He can't waste too much energy dealing with the small fry, nor do he want to. The way they were ganging up on his was somehow reminding him of something nasty. Relying on someone else in a fight was a sign of weakness, multiple people grouping together to pool their strength and beat down their opponent…like bullies…

Bullies…? Why was he so familiar with that term? Bullies…had he met some previously…?

Oh well, it doesn't matter. That arrogance…he shall shatter it.

In mere minutes, a storm of body parts and crimson liquid rained across the battlefield. A stygian storm of death tore through the villains and left all of them in unrecognizable states. Some had their bodies reduced to a sickish-black state by the toxic properties of Shepherd's sludge, or slashed to pieces by the masked boy's endless weaponry.

"…too easy."

Kurogiri and Giran looked at all of the carnage from a safe distance, with the former standing by with the orders to warp Shepherd out of danger should anything happen to him. But from the looks of it, it appears that such a concern was unnecessary.

"As expected of the famed Shepherd…" Giran breathed in a mix of awe and terror. "…his viciousness does not betray the rumours."

"At this rate, Muscular is bound to show up anytime soon." Kurogiri commented as Shepherd finished 'cleaning up', before re-absorbing the sludge back to his body.

"How many more do we have to kill?" Shepherd turned to ask Giran, while absorbing the sludge back to his body, who was admiring the devastation caused by a single villain, not to mention a young kid at that. Giran quickly regained his composure and took another puff of his cigarette, shaking his head.

"With that many of his goons killed, not for much longer hopefully. He's bound to come out by now; he's a battle hungry psycho and will probably poke his head out when he finds out you are in his territory. It's only a matter of time."

"Don't underestimate him Shepherd," Kurogiri added. "Our aim today is to try recruiting Muscular into the League; fighting him will be secondary."

"Shut it Kurogiri," Shepherd snapped back. "I do things my way."

.

**=[]=**

How to describe the villain known as Muscular…if Shepherd were to put it in Tomura's game lingo terms, he would be something like a Boss Character.

"…he's quite huge…" Shepherd commented as he stared down at the hulking man facing him from across the parking lot.

Giran was right; it didn't take long for the leader himself to come out into the open with the rest of his cronies after slaughtering some villains. The group of thugs gathering behind their boss with fear, anger and foreboding in their eyes, surprised to see that the so called 'Hellhound of the League' was in fact just a kid. At the front was an ash-blonde haired hulk rippling with muscle, dressed in a dark red tank top, black pants and boots. His most noticeable trait as a large scar going down the left side of his face. Once the man saw him, a blood-thirsty grin formed on his face. "What do we have here? I was expecting a lot from the famous Shepherd of the League of Villains…but never did I expect a mere kid." He mocked. "I was looking for a good fight, but I'm kind of disappointed right now."

"…you are Muscular, right?" Shepherd glared at the powerfully-built villain. "…I have been given the order by Sensei to provide you with two options. Join the League…or die."

Muscular just gave a mad giggle. "Sensei? Oh I get it, you meant the big boss of your little group wants me in right? But where's the fun in that? Being part of a group and obeying petty orders like a dog…it gets boring over time."

That sneer…that ash-blonde hair…it made Shepherd frowned. Why does that guy look so familiar?

"…so you want to die I guess." Shepherd just said. This man was starting to grate on his nerves for some reason, a serious migraine was pulsing in his head. So grating…so infuriating…the more he listened to the man's babbling, the more Shepherd felt like massacring him. Was he someone he had encounter before in his life?

Not that it mattered much…he was still determined to break this guy.

"Hmm…by the way, quite the cute mask you got there," Muscular pointed out and grinned mockingly. "Does it show just how loyal you are to the League of Villains or whatever? Like some kind of obedient dog?" The ring of thugs behind him also began to laugh nervously as well alongside their leader.

Shepherd glared at him, black toxic fluids began to drip down his fingers in response. "…you sure are eager for an early death."

A huge, feral grin formed on the [Muscle Augmentation] quirk villain and an excited whistle escaped his lips. "Ready to fight, are we? Very nice…I like that in a guy, straight to the point. To be honest, those men you killed…I kind of got attached to them, thanks to the way they revelled my strength like some sort of god." Muscle fibres began sprouting from the villain's arms, wrapping around his limbs like strings and ribbons. "I'm not too good with things like avenging my men, but those guys were cute…so I'm going to take it out on you just a little bit, okay?!"

Muscular crouched low and prepared to spring forth with a maniacal laugh. "Today, I'll kill the famous Shepherd's sorry ass and make my name here! Right after I take my time torturing you that is! LET ME SEE YOU BLEED-"

He was cut off as a black blur was aimed at his face. "Whoa-!" he tilted his head to the right and narrowly avoided a sludge projectile as it fired before anyone could draw breath.

The other villains could only look on in horror and slight disgust as the sludge hardened into two obsidian gun barrels around Shepherd's arms, their creator's eyes burning with hatred and vengeance.

"…you talk too much. I'll rot you to the ground…**Schwarze Hagel** (Black Hail) !" Shepherd growled, letting the toxic bullets loose and fired upon the muscular villain in rapid succession.

"HAHAHAHAH! That's more like it! That's how it should be!" Muscular roared with glee, raising both of his arms and slammed down a shockwave which obliterated the pavement and blew away Shepherd's attack. He then dashed towards the slightly surprised Shepherd with his right arm drawn back for a powerful swing, ready to knock the assailant down in one blow.

_"…using long-range attacks consumes too much sludge…I can't afford to waste any in a long fight…"_

Shepherd gave a mild growl as he let loosed a wave of sludge from his arms to hinder the muscle behemoth's mad rush, morphing the ooze into a massive maw of a beast, ready to crunch Muscular into halves. "…**Schwarzer Kiefer **(Black Jaws of the Beast)!"

Seeing this, Muscular gave another laugh while he punched the ground, creating another shockwave which blew away most of the sludge protecting Shepherd. The white-haired boy clicked his tongue in annoyance as he was forced to retreat a few steps back.

At was at this moment that some of the men behind Muscular decided to brazenly barge into the fight to attack Shepherd themselves, upon seeing how easily their leader was able to corner him. Perhaps they wanted the honour of taking down the kid for themselves.

"Shepherd…" Kurogiri warned from the side, awaiting his companion's approval to assist.

"Stay out of this!" Shepherd snarled in irritation at the dark misty man, and then at the lot who barged into the fight. "You smallfries can just die! **Schwarze Hagel** (Black Hail)!" With a quick spin, he re-morphed his quirk's gun form unleashed a wave of sludge bullets from his palms and rained down a corrosion storm upon the insolent intruders. The thugs were sent flying from the maelstrom of toxic matter and some scream as the poisonous properties of the sludge quickly kicked in.

The group of thugs were instantly suppressed, screaming in agony as they are covered head-to-toe in toxic sludge, their limbs dyed black and all that remained were black, blighted corpses. To those still alive, the boy looked like a walking plague, an abominable human hazard.

With them out of the way, Shepherd turned his attention back to Muscular, who unfortunately had more than enough time to close the distance thanks to his men's 'diversion'.

"Was that supposed to be your quirk?" Muscular snorted, delivering a muscle enhanced punch which knocked back Shepherd several metres away, which could have been a lot worse if it weren't for the new reinforced clothes given by Giran. "The sludge sure has quite an annoying toxic property to it…"

"Gwaah-! Gargh!" The hound-masked teen crashed into the wall, making him cough out blood. "But it doesn't work on me!" Shepherd cast another hateful glare at Muscular as he casually approached, grinning madly as to show the inevitability of his victory.

"My quirk is [Muscle Augmentation]! Enabling me augment the muscle fibers that sit beneath my skin, giving me spectacular speed and strength! Furthermore, if I continuously coat myself in a layer of muscle fibres like this, not even your toxic sludge can do shit against me!" Muscular sneered as he said that, watching Shepherd struggling to stand back up. "What do you have to say to that?! Hhmm? What else you got!? Nothing! Just because your quirk works on some people, doesn't mean you are all that powerful!"

The battle-hungry psycho's eyes danced with a mad light as he clasped both of his fist together and raised them above Shepherd and himself, muscle fibers swirling wildly around his arms and raised their physical powers to inhuman levels. "You're just a weak little shit wanting who wants to play the big bad in this town! Seeing you squirm like this now, I can only laugh! It's just so sad! The so-called Hellhound of the League is powerless against me, Muscular! You said you want to kill me? Dream on kid! The only thing you should be thinking about right now…"

Shepherd's eyes widened in shock. T-This…could be pretty bad…

"IS HOW TO STAY ALIVE YOURSELF! GOODBYE, YOU WEAK-ASS SHIT! IT WAS NICE KILLING YA!" A blur was all Shepherd could see, and instinct forced the boy to create a makeshift shield with whatever sludge he could muster from his arms…

**_*BBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*_**

The shockwave created from the impact resounded throughout Kamino Ward and the entire place a mile from the point of impact rumbled like a massive earthquake. The concrete and debris was blown away and caused everyone to take cover and avert their eyes away from the battle temporary, when they finally regained their bearings, the area Shepherd once stood in was obliterated.

"O-Oi oi oi, isn't this bad?" Giran asked with a fearful look while he watched from the sidelines. "If he dies here, then won't it be practically my fault?"

Muscular stood there with a victorious look crowned on his face. Upon seeing the shocked expressions on every single spectator's face, he let out a demented laugh. "…hehehe…hahahaha…hyahyahyaHYAHYAHYAHYAH!" Despite having some parts of his arms and muscles rotted horribly by his opponent's sludge, he turned to face his audience and cackled loudly to everyone in the vicinity, and he continued to shout aloud for the whole of Kamino Ward to hear.

"SO LONG SHEPHERD! I HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME ENJOYING YOUR SO-CALLED REPUTATION! You wanted to kill me?! Well look at you now! You are just a piss-weak kid who tries to act strong despite knowing you'll never beat someone like me! A PATHETIC KID, WHO WAS A PATHETIC VILLAIN, WHO DIED A PATHETIC DEATH! THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP! HAHAHYAHYAHYAHYAHYAH!"

He continued to laugh like a complete madman, his terrible cackling echoing across the battleground while he continued standing over the remains of Shepherd in the crater he made.

…then a long black spiked tail extended from the crater and impaled Muscular in the chest from behind, creating a spray of blood. The [Muscle Augmentation] quirk villain ceased his laughter, and more blood was forcefully spat out from his mouth.

"W-What-?!"

"…Noisy...You're too noisy..."

Muscular held back a urge to scream as the long black spike-like object retracted itself from his chest. He immediately tried to stop the bleeding with muscle fibers, but he realized to his dismay that the wound left behind was rotted black, surely infected. How was this possible?! That punch had enough power to punch through a truck! He should have died on impact! Creaking his head to turn around, he watched a figure pulled itself out of the crater and faced the well-built one-eyed killer. Shepherd's clothes were all ripped to shreds and tattered, revealing the multiple areas of his bare body which was blown apart with brute force, showing the world bone and raw flesh. But much to Muscular's shock, the life-threatening wounds were starting to heal by themselves, rapidly closing and mending themselves with great speed. The skin was fully reformed as well, but the areas where they recovered now sported an eerie black complexion.

The most terrifying part was his face. The face of the boy whom Muscular had previously sneered upon as a weakling actually filled the man with bottomless terror. The hound-mask that Shepherd used has been broken to bits, revealing to the world the whole of his face. The force of the villain's attack had literally ripped the skin off the lower portion of the [Toxic Sludge] quirk user's face, revealing the muscle tissue and the veins, as well as parts of his jaw's skeletal structure. Those parts quickly healed as well, but the skin which covered the damaged parts remained black as well, giving Shepherd a truly demonic appearance.

However, what unsettled them most…were the newest additions to his body.

Black sludge flowed down endlessly from his body and almost covered the entirety of his body like jet-black armour. Giran noted with increasing unease that Shepherd's arms now resembled huge, elongated beast-like limbs with incredibly sharp claws, continuously twitching like they can't wait to tear apart what was presented to them. A long 'tail' resembling a spiked tentacle lashed powerfully from the back of the boy's pelvis. The sludge also converged around Shepherd's mouth to form a makeshift mask which resembled a muzzle of a dog, except that it was opening and closing, baring his new fangs for Muscular to see. Some sort of dark smog seemed to be radiating from his body as well as out from his mouth like some beast exhaling hot air, releasing an extremely putrid stench that caused everyone in the vicinity to cover their mouths in reflex. And finally…

His twitching eyes had changed colours, both eyes bearing diseased-black sclera while purple irises pulsed madly from within. Muscular couldn't help but flinched as the boy creaked his neck and faced him, a crazed demented grin of his own plastered onto Shepherd's face.

Shepherd developed a dark and sadistic grin.**"Aaaah…it hurts…it hurts so much…! A-A-Am I…bleeding…? Am…I…"** Shepherd's voice became disturbingly distorted and crazed. **"…Bleeding…?"**

The white-haired boy groaned as he fell on his knees before falling on his knees, rearing his head back and screaming out, **"It's because I'm weak isn't it? It's because I'm weak. It's because I'm weak. It's because I'm weak. Aaaaaah…I'm melting…I can feel that oozing down…! Down my ears they go! Down my throat! Down my liver! Down my lungs they go! Down they go! Hehehehe! I can feel them…rotting my skin…! Hehehe…rings around my rosies….m-my pocket full of…posies…?!"** His new arms clawed the side of his own head, clutching it in pain like he was experiencing a searing migraine. **"Hehehe…a-ashes…ashes…I-I'm falling down…WE ALL MUST FALL DOWN! HEHEHEHE!"**

"This is…!" Kurogiri nearly forgot to breathe.

"Oi Kurogiri! What the hell happened to him?!" Giran asked frantically as he witnessed this unnatural transformation, blinking his eyes repeatedly as though to check if it was all a hallucination. "Why is his body all black like that?! That ain't normal is it?! And why is he singing a creepy-ass nursey rhyme?!"

"Giran…I suggest that you try not to make a sound and watch closely," The dark misty bartender narrowed his eyes and ushered the League's broker to slowly move to the back. "You are about to witness why he is known as the Hellhound."

.

Muscular stared at this disturbing scene warily.

"Your wounds freaking healed…that's regeneration, isn't it?" Muscular coughed out more blood as he held his chest wound, but his signature psychotic smile returned almost immediately as he assessed Shepherd's hidden abilities. "Hiding a little trump card are we? Hmm? Not bad…Shepherd! But you know…that sludge of yours won't do shit to me-"

**"WE ALL FALL D-DOWN?!"** With a feral snarl, Shepherd grabbed the ground and flung himself forward like a slingshot.

_"He came towards me?!"_

A black claw found itself latched on Muscular's left pectoral. Before the [Muscle Augmentation] quirk villain had time to scream, Shepherd gave a vicious roar, sinking his clawed fingers into the man's body, using the momentum from his earlier jump to tear out a giant chunk of flesh.

"Gargh! You little-!" Muscular gurgled more blood from his mouth. Ignoring this, Shepherd proceeded to launch another offensive, laying on all fours and growling like a rabid beast starving for prey.

"That's it…that's it! That's more like it! I didn't know you had it in you Shepherd! I guess play-time's over! I can finally let loose and kill you properly this time! So, it's time for…" The man's eyes shone with mad excitement at this. Muscular then searched deep into his pants and fished out an scarlet artificial eye, inserting it into his empty socket in a grotesque manner. "…my serious face."

**"…hehehehehehahahahahaHAHAHAHA! IT'S R-ROTTING ME! I CAN FEEL IT MELTING! IT'S DYEING ME BLACK! WE MUST ALL FALL DOWN!"** Shepherd jumped out of Muscular's wide reach just in time, before rushing in again with his claws unfurled and took a large portion of the muscle villain's leg this time. Muscular angrily tried to grab hold of the boy, but Shepherd just dodged nimbly with impossible human movements, and immediately proceeded with another assault like a mad beast. Swipe and claw, bit and tear apart. With his wicked jet-black talons, Shepherd tore through the huge villain's muscles as though they were paper ribbons, and his slashes left savage rotting gashes that caused Muscular to grit in pain.

_"His fighting style's completely different than before! He's like some animal!"_ Muscular thought in horror. _"The way he uses the sludge…I thought he was a long-ranged combatant?!"_

At one point, Muscular was able to grab hold of the boy in spite of his beast-like movements, only for a searing pain to assault his hands and forced him to let go. The [Muscle Augmentation] quirk villain could only gaze in horror as his hands were turning black, parts of the flesh rotten and dark infectious rashes covering them.

**"Hehehehe! Just fall down!"** Shepherd lashed out with his whip-like tail and pierced through Muscular's right arm. "Grahg-!" The muscle quirk villain tried to remove the black appendage from his flesh, but Shepherd reached the villain with an animalistic roar and bisected off the whole of Muscular's right side from the shoulder blade downwards.

**"Aaaah…this feeling…this sensation…! It's painful! It hurts…it hurts so much! I don't want that! Pain is for weaklings…I don't want to be weak! THAT'S WHY I'LL FIGHT! UNTIL I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT! IT CAN'T BE HELP, RIGHT?! BEACAUSE I HAVE TO BE STRONG! ISN'T THAT RIGHT…BA~KU~G-! Eh? Ba…ku…?"**

_No…that's wrong…his name was Muscle-or-something wasn't it…? Not Ba…who?_

"This can't be happening…! This can't be!" Another slash of Shepherd's pitch-black claws, the white-haired boy tore off the remaining arm cleanly from the man's body. With another twist of his body, the long black, spiked tail swiped through the air like a circular blade and removed Muscular's unguarded legs as well.

Arms, gone. Legs, gone. Muscular who longer had any means to fight back or even try to run away. His fighting ability had been permanently crippled, and an extremely terrified look was shown on his scarred face for the first time in his life.

Muscular looked into the eyes of death, brimming with impossible levels of madness and bloodlust assaulting the poor crippled villain.

_Shit shit shit! This ain't a kid! It's a damn monster in human skin!_

**"…hehehehe…you're good!"** Shepherd grabbed Muscular's attention, his jet-black claws and tentacle-like tail dripping with sludge slithered around him, making the boy resemble something out of a horror movie. **"…but we are not done yet…I have to dye you black…so…shall we sing a little song to pass the time…?"**

"A-A…s-song…?"

**"You are strong…Muscular. I have to know…the face you can make when I dye you black…! But it gets boring when I do it alone…so I usually get the other guy to sing along with me to make things more interesting. So here we go!"**

"S-s-stop!" The villain who had been so confident of killing Shepherd begged, tears running down his eyes before he screamed in pain as a black toxic tail lodged itself into his upper thigh and removed itself, leaving behind an area of rotting skin and flesh. "It hurts! It hurts! It fucking hurts!"

**"I know right? It hurts doesn't it?! That's why you have to sing along! I'll start okay?"** Shepherd spoke in a demented and mad tone which made Kurogiri, Giran and those watching this scene shiver. **"A ring-a-round the rosie…!"** A claw pierced Muscular near his pelvis, causing him to scream once more. **"A pocket full of posies…"** A mix of blood and saliva gurgled out of Muscular's mouth in a foaming mess. **"Ashes…Ashes…We all fall down! Unless you sing together with me, the pain will not cease okay? Let's all fall down together, shall we? Come on, sing!"**

The sharp sludge appendages slowly worked their way up Muscular's body, leaving patches of infected and rotting flesh where they had impaled. Tears marred the man's cheeks, and his throat was dry and raspy from all the screaming he did. "A-A ring…a-a-round t-the…r-rosies…" he croaked weakly before he screamed out in pain again once the claw pierced into his abdomen this time, making him feel like his intestines are melting. "A p-pocket…full..o-of…posies-!" The black tail lashed into his stomach this time, but he continued to repeat the lyrics desperately.

"A-ashes…Ashes…we-gargh-! W-we all…f-fall…down…!"

Giran was averting his eyes away from this scene, the taste of his cigarette ruined as he saw this gruesome scene from behind Kurogiri. The rest of Muscular's men had their eyes shut tight, their faces deadly-pale, and a couple of them fell down to the ground in a vomiting fit.

**"That's good! That's good! Continue singing! If you can sing five whole verses by the time I dye you black, then you can be like me! Come on, you can do it! Aren't you strong? Let's go!"**

**_*SQUEECH!*_**

"Gargh…! A ring-a-round the rosies…!"

**_*SQUEECH!*_**

"Guaaaagh! A p-pocket…full..o-of…posies-!"

**_*SQUEECH!*_**

"I-I c-can't-! A-ashes…Ashes…we-gargh-!"

**_*SQUEECH!*_**

And so, continued the torment. Muscular's eyes now held a glazed, empty look to him, his voice strained from crying and screaming for so long.

**_*SQUEECH!*_**

"AAAAAARGH-! A-ashes…Ashes…we-gargh-! W-we all…f-fall…DOWN…!" The final line was finally forced out.

**"…that's right…we are being dyed black…you and me both! Hehehehe…LET'S ALL FALL DOWN TOGETHER SHALL WE?!"**

But his question was met with silence. The limbless Muscular just remained still, his body completely eroded to a rotten-black and a poisonous stench wafted out from his cold, unmoving corpse. Holes riddled his body like a beehive and his face was twisted into one of absolute despair and agony.

.

**=[]=**

From the top of a building…a team of heroes dedicated to surveillance trembled with fright, witnessing the entire fight between Shepherd and Muscular. They were a team tasked with the pursue of the serial killer Muscular, but they have chanced upon something far dreadful than their target. They were rather far from the scene, but they exchanged whispers due to the fear of being found out by such a monster.

"S-Shit…! What a demon! He…actually killed…that Muscular!" The first shook uncontrollably, his legs quaking as the horrible memory of Shepherd devouring Muscular's corpse replayed in his mind. "That freaking A-rank villain was…in an instance…!"

A mad psychopath who enjoys using his quirk to kill innocents in order to sate his lust for battle, whom the lives of two heroes had been sacrificed to just to lose an eye. The fact that such a man fell so easily blared their mental alarms for the villain named Shepherd.

"Oi…you are recording this right?" he asked the other two heroes. All of them were shared equally terrified expressions, but they all nodded in confirmation. The aim of today was to observe and send back the information gathered to the Musutafu Police Headquarters. They initial target Muscular may be put down permanently, but they have witnessed something much more dangerous and dire.

Getting the hell out of here and delivering this footage to the Police and Hero Department was of utmost importance.

.

**=[]=**

Much to Kurogiri's relief, Shepherd had managed to calm down and partially reverted back to a much more…sound state.

Muscular was dead.

"So much for the possibility of recruitment…" the dark misty villain muttered as he watched the pitch-black skin of Shepherd returning to its former complexion, though the white-haired boy was still breathing heavily and looked greatly exhausted.

"…that was satisfactory, however…" Shepherd glared at Muscular's corpse. The deceased's face still reminded him of something unpleasant, but that could be dealt with later. "…still rather disappointing. He looks kind of familiar though…"

"Well, thank goodness I got spares…" Giran commented, looking over the sad remains of Shepherd's villain suit. "Hopefully your fights can be less brutal that this…"

"…Forget the costume, we got more important things to clean up here…" Shepherd snapped in mild irritation, casting a glare towards a tall building quite a distance away from where they were standing. During the fight, he had spotted multiple shadows appearing, then disappearing on the roof. "…Kurogiri."

"Understood. But I must say that they are doing a terrible job of concealing themselves…" Kurogiri responded as he expanded the dark mist he was made of into a portal gate. "…shall we greet our esteemed guests then?"

.

**=[]=**

"Alright…let's quickly bounce out of here and…wait, what's wrong?" The hero was dumbfounded as his companion pointed a shaky finger at something behind the former, making him turn around to see a black smoky gate materializing out of nowhere.

He instantly panicked. Was it a villain? Were they spotted?!

A pair of sharp, narrow yellow eyes appeared from the dark mist. "Good evening gentlemen, how nice for agents of justice such as yourselves to drop by. Why leave so soon? Let us show our hospitality." And from the portal emerged two sets of sludge claws, followed by Shepherd's gleaming purple eyes. All of the heroes stood petrified as the boy who looked like a demonic beast unchained from hell locked on to them, a hungry growl escaping his throat.

The screams of the heroes lasted into the night, orchestrating a symphony of insanity.

The night was still young.

They must all fall down…all the way down to the deepest black.

.

**=[To be Continued]=**

_"Aaaah…this feeling…this sensation…! It's painful! It hurts…it hurts so much! I don't want that! Pain is for weaklings…I don't want to be weak! Sensei told me the only way to lift the pain is to destroy those who hurt me…! I have to dye them black…! If I'm weak, then I'll be killed! I don't know if there are others who can hurt me…so I'm so scared…oh so scared…THAT'S WHY I'LL FIGHT! UNTIL I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT! IT CAN'T BE HELP, RIGHT?! BEACAUSE I HAVE TO BE STRONG! ISN'T THAT RIGHT…BA~KU~G-! Eh? Ba…ku…?"_

_"Who's…that…?"_

_._

_Next time: USJ Attack._

A/N: Leave a comment!


	4. USJ Attack!

A/N: A shout out to phelipebr, Enclave93, Raven Mordrake, and Donovan2771 for the reviews!

phelipebr: You just have to wait and see how Bakugo is going to take all of this.

Enclave93: Thanks for the praise and welcome to the story!

Raven Mordrake: I'm not planning to make Shepherd that OP…he's still mentally unstable.

Donovan2771: Midoriya does hate Bakugo for what happened. Even though he respects his strength, he still hates it when Bakugo puts down others just to boost his own ego.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE!** After much consideration, I have decided to tweak a major aspect of Shepherd's sludge quirk from the very beginning. He can't make actual living constructs out of sludge…but he can create weapons to fight with just like how Riot fights in the Venom movie. This is to make him easier to write for future chapters. Thanks!

Now, onwards!

.

.

**Chapter 4: USJ Attack.**

.

**=[UA. Unseen Simulation Joint]=**

"Alright, now that you've all been briefed in detail about what exactly this facility can provide you with, I should assume that you are all ready to go. Time is of the essence, so let's not waste anymore time standing around." Aizawa instructed over the excited murmurs chattering off his students. Well, at least they were motivated so it was plus ultra he supposed. "Thirteen, please do the honours."

"Understood! Let's get this show on the road shall we? Just let me turn this on…the state-of-the-art AI systemed designed to track all of your activity and whereabouts, your progress status for the rescue exercise if you will. Just give it a sec to get it up and running…" Walking towards a large lever, the astronaut-suit hero flipped it up with gusto, "And behold!"

The lights came on with a light hum and mechanic whirl, making the class let out a collective gasp of wonder when they witnessed the huge facility at its full glory.

"Alright then, first we shall proceed to the-" Aizawa was abruptly cut off by a sharp crackle of electricity, followed by all the lights in the USJ being shut off and covering the domed facility in mild darkness.

He snapped his gaze towards Thirteen, who was as equally alarmed and confused as him. And then, the air behind the Pro-hero started to twist. Aizawa immediately turned towards the center of the huge space, where the air appeared to be warping ominously.

All of a sudden, a large mass of darkness swirled out of thin air, expanding rapidly and a pair of glowing yellow eyes flashed out of the gloom. As the black matter continued to expand across the USJ's courtyard, the silhouettes of many bodies could be seen from within, populating the once empty space by the dozens.

"Thirteen! Protect the students!" the [Erasure] quirk homeroom teacher of class 1-A signaled his colleague urgently.

"What's going on?!" Kirishima, the [Hardening] quirk student asked in alarm. "Is this part of the training?"

"No!" Aizawa's yell caught everyone off guard as the pro-hero made a mad dash for the top of the stairs leading down to the now villain-brimmed square. "This isn't part of the training! Those are real villains!"

20 pairs of eyes widened in shock. What was supposed to be an enriching educational exercise, was suddenly turned into a catastrophe.

At the center of the dark vortex, three very noticeable individuals emerged last. The person on the left was rather tall and lanky, hunched over while dressed in a simple black shirt, pants and sneakers. He raised his head, piercing scarlet eyes shining past the severed hand attached to his face like a mask, while several other hands were placed over his entire body in a creepy fashion.

To the person's right stood another boy, shorter than the first but his attire gave an equally dreading feel. He was dressed in a long black coat with a fur collar, black pants and armored boots. Spiky white hair partially hid his eyes while a scary-dog mask hid the lower half of his face. He gazed at the environment disinterestedly before his gaze lingered on the group of students across the USJ square.

Directly behind them was a massive humanoid being with an exposed brain sitting on a malformed beak-like face. The beast trudged forward, it's dark-bluish muscles rippling with power as it did so.

"Where is he?" The lanky man adorned with multiple hands all over his body asked aloud. "The cheat sheet stated that All-Might was supposed to be here."

"The pro-heroes Eraserhead and Thirteen huh…but according to the intel we obtained, All-Might was supposed to be in this session as well. A change in schedule perhaps?" The ominous voice of the dark mist spoke, glowing yellow eyes surveying their surroundings as the dark mist took the form of a smoky head.

"…talk about a wasted entrance," The hound-masked villain growled, glaring at the group of students who looked around his age. "…I hope you're contented with fighting kids Tomura, but what of All-Might? How do you want to proceed now?"

Looking to either side of his group and examining the mob of villains he had gathered for this occasion, the lanky man grunted to himself. "Yeah, you're right…I even went to the trouble of bringing all these friends who wanted to see the symbol of peace so badly. Well I bet if we kill some kids he might show up."

"…do what you need to do in order to get All-Might's attention, I'm going to do what I came here for. For starters…" The masked villain's eyes locked on to the scraggy-looking man in the black tights and the astronaut. "…those two looked strong."

"Let's try not to deviate from the plan Shepherd." The dark mist told him. "There's no need to take all of the opponents to yourself, especially Eraserhead. Just like we initially discussed, we should make use of the Noumu given by Sensei."

"…Mmm…understood."

"Let's have a little fun, shall we? Game start!" The leader of the villain group declared gleefully, which was the cue for the villains to start their plan.

.

**=[USJ Entrance]=**

Not wasting any time, Thirteen began corralling the students to ensure that everyone was together and accounted for. "You heard Eraser! Let's move it! To the exit!"

But before the pro could move the students to the doors leading outside, the same mass of dark fog that had transported the group of villains to the USJ in the first place suddenly materialized itself the middle of the group and momentarily stunning them.

"I'm afraid that cannot be allowed. You see, besides the task of transporting those unsavory mob to this location, it is also my duty to ensure that no one, either student or Pro-hero is allowed to leave the premises."

Slowly backpedaling together with some of the students, Thirteen narrowed her eyes as the finger latch of her suit flipped open. "What exactly are you trying to achieve here?"

"Well Thirteen, we are here to engage with Mr All-Might, the 'symbol of peace'. We were wondering if we are allowed the opportunity to extinguish him, you see. But currently, it perplexes me to see that your esteemed teacher and number 1 hero has not joined the supposed rescue session. Was Mr Might not meant to be in attendance at this juncture? Perchance, has the time-table been altered? Well nevertheless, I still have a job to do…"

Before the pro-hero could take action, Bakugo and Kirishima decided to take matters into their own hands; launching a simultaneous attack on the dark misty villain.

As the smoke from Bakugo's explosion began to dissipate, the pair of boys held expressions of triumph at their 'victory'.

"Everyone! Those who are closest to the doors will have to rush out!" Thirteen took this chance and declared loudly as she pointed a finger at the warp villain and prepared to use her [blackhole] quirk. "I'll hold him-what?"

"T-The doors!"

Iida Tenya, who was the closest to the exit yelped and jumped back as soon as a wave of an extremely viscous black fluid covered the doors and sealed them shut. Thirteen was just as surprised when the right side of her hero suit was covered in some weird black ooze that was clogging the finger latch which allowed her to utilized her [Blackhole] quickly.

"…spare me the monologuing Kurogiri…" Everyone scattered back when another person jumped next to the dark mist. "…If you have the time to talk, then begin to scatter everyone. I have also sealed the other emergency doors around the building. With this…you all have no more means of escaping this place."

"There's one more?!" Thirteen yelled in frustration as she tried to turn around to see who was it. The arrival was another villain; shorter than the rest they had seen so far and about the same height as Midoriya. He had snow-white hair and a demonic dog-mask covering his mouth and nose. Black ooze dripped steadily from the boy's two arms as he surveyed the heroes.

"This is…sludge?!" Everyone's thoughts were cut short when the mist-man reformed next to the hound-masked boy, completely unscathed.

"That was dangerous…but I supposed that was to be expected, even if they are just students." The black mist reformed a 'head', a large metal brace appearing on its 'body'. "Thanks for the assist, Shepherd. Where was I…oh yes. As my companion said, my job now is to scatter you all and torture everyone to death!"

The miasma shot forward at breakneck speed, too fast for Thirteen to react in time to warn the students, and in moments everyone was trapped in its encroaching darkness.

Being at the edge of the group, several of the students were able to avoid being swallowed up by the black miasma, but by the time it receded, it was revealed that more than half the class had disappeared, including the strange villain that sealed off the exit.

"Now that half of you are cleared," The dark misty villain narrowed his eyes and leered at the remaining students. "Shall we move on to act two?"

"…Kurogiri…" The hound-masked boy cast a dark look at the remaining students, before looking at the dark mist. "…I'll handle the space hero, so I'll leave the students to you…and don't get in the way of my fight."

"Would that be okay? I have thought of a countermeasure against Thirteen beforehand…" The misty villain said to him. "Her quirk, [Blackhole] may be a little troublesome for you, Shepherd."

"It's fine…I'll take care of her…" Shepherd said calmly until a dark look came over him. "…my way."

"Very well."

**=[USJ Entrance]=**

"Shoji, is everyone here?" The bespectacled boy in the white armour asked.

"Everyone is scattered, but they're in this building." The extremely tall teen with multiple arms called Shoji, replied while gazing at the two villains warily.

This statement got a small sense of relief to wash over the class, but they still understood the gravity of the situation they're currently in; extremely bad. Thanks to the rash decision of the two most hot-headed youths of the class, half of them were scattered across the multiple disaster zones in the USJ. Eraserhead was busy fighting the main faction of the villain group, while they are facing two other villains, one of them in particular…

"Damn it," Sero muttered in frustration. "Physical attacks can't harm that dark misty looking guy and he can warp things to who knows where – his quirk is the worst!"

"But what about the other one? The one with the mask?" Shoji asked, looking at the sludge-covered door behind him. "Something tells me that we better not touch that stuff; the doors are completely sealed off."

"Class rep…find a way to clear the stuff blocking the doors and escape from here." Thirteen told the glasses-wearing boy. "Run to the school and tell them what has happened here."

"P-Pardon?" Iida muttered in surprise. "But it would be a disgrace as the class rep to leave everything behind-"

"You're the fastest one out of everyone here who can get help quickly! You have to get through the emergency exit!" Sato interrupted as he took a stance before the villains. "Besides, there are alarms outside. If you manage to get out, the intruder system will be triggered and the teachers will be notified either way!"

Sero nodded as he stood beside Sato. "As long as you can escape, the villains won't follow you! Blow them away with your legs, Class rep!"

Thirteen nodded and urged Iida once more. "Use your quirk in order to save others! We'll create an opening for yo-!" But before she could continue, a torrent of black shards shot towards the unsuspecting [Blackhole] quirk hero and the entire 1-A class like rapid fire. It was only thanks to her above-average reflexes that she activated her quick and sucked in the sludge projectiles into nothingness.

"What the hell was that?!" Sero shouted in alarm, shocked by this sudden assault.

"You…can't you see I was talking?" Thirteen glared at the boy responsible for this unexpected attack. "And here I thought you villains have enough humanity in you not to not attack students."

"…I thought I'd just give a warning shot…in case you didn't know you're in a middle of a fight." The hellhound-masked boy told Thirteen. "Your opponent is me, Thirteen. If you don't…the next attack may hit those students behind you instead."

"That voice…how old are you? To think that a person has fallen into the villains at such a young age…" Thirteen replied, shifting her footing ever so slightly to prepare herself for battle. "I do hope you are prepared to face the consequences for what you just tried to pull here today. Even if you're a minor, I can't promise what will happen if you continue to fight us."

"…Is that so…well, I can't promise what will happen if you continue to think that way…" The white-haired boy muttered, his glazed eyes showing no hint of emotion as he gazed at an unsettled Iida. "The students are our bait…so I cannot let any of you escape…stay where you are and don't try anything funny."

"W-What the hell?! What is wrong with you!?" Sero shouted angrily to grab the villain's attention, "Just what is your purpose here?!"

"…I have no business with the likes of weaklings…Until the symbol of peace is baited out, my only target is…Thirteen,"

"Villain dressed in black…a sludge quirk…white hair…and a dog mask?" Thirteen's mind finally clicked. "You're…S-rank villain, Shepherd!"

"This kid's a S-rank villain?!" The pink-skinned girl with horns asked, moving forward to take a closer look. "Doesn't he look somewhere around our age?!"

"…I told you not to do anything, didn't I?" The villain gazed at her darkly, making a few of the students flinched. "I don't like to repeat myself; I have no business with the likes of weaklings."

"That's enough, you have been going on like a broken record." Thirteen declared, "I've seen the files on you. S-rank villain, villain name: Shepherd. I didn't expect someone that dangerous turned out to be such a young boy, but you have taken the lives of 4 Pro-heroes and their sidekicks, possibly many others as well. Not even the minor protection law can save you from severe punishment."

The young villain gazed at the Space hero's direction, his lips curling into an ugly snarl. "…Save me? Save me from what exactly…? Those guys wanted to fight me…to capture me in the name of justice…and I won. The stronger side survives while the weak gets annihilated. Those idiots brought their deaths upon themselves the moment they cannot grasp the difference in ability, simple as that."

"But enough talking…the side who destroys the opponent first is the victor, simple as that."

Thirteen narrowed her eyes as she prepared to use her quirk. "Iida, we need you to get out of here now! We'll keep those two busy while Sato finds a way to punch through the doors!"

"We…? No, my only target is you…! **Schwarz Kiefer! **(Black Jaws of the Beast)" Shepherd growled as he unleashed a mass of toxic sludge taking shape of a beast's maw towards the astronaut. "Those students are free to help you whatsoever…but I expect that they have enough maturity to know what happens to anyone who messes with my fight!"

"Everyone get back right now!" Thirteen yelled out urgently as she activated her quirk; the space hero's signature black hole created in a flash and began drawing in and consuming the gunk shots fired at her.

"…looks like Kurogiri was right; you do have quite an annoying quirk." Shepherd frowned as he produced more sludge from his arms. "…but how about this?"

The sludge on Shepherd's arms morphed into two black barrels, firing a storm of black shards towards Thirteen like gatling guns.

"It's useless!" The Space-hero declared as she pointed her finger towards the rapid sludge attack, letting her quirk do its destructive work. "Everything within its range will be sucked in; It doesn't matter how much of that sludge you can throw at me; I'll break it down at a molecular level!"

Shepherd slowly clenched and unclenched his hands as he processed what Thirteen just said; true, it would be pointless to face this hero in a head-on battle, if this goes on the sludge accumulated within his body will be reduced to nothing. But one thing still perplexes him…

"…say," Shepherd asked, his suddenly inquiring causing everyone to look at him with surprise. "…with such a powerful quirk, wouldn't it be better to aim it straight at me with maximum power? I suggest you rethink how you fight if you ever wish to deal me any damage…"

"Unlike you, it's not a hobby of mine to kill people. The quirks we are given are meant to help others, not to establish one's dominance over others." Thirteen retorted. "We are heroes, not murderers."

"Hah…trifling words of a weakling…" The hound-masked youth sighed with mild disappointment, "…I was wondering what was the answer you'll give me, but was that it? Help people? Funny…Here I thought that an individual with a powerful quirk as yours will be fun to fight. But it appears that you're nothing but a total-"

An expression of pure loathing and disgust was displayed in full force, making Thirteen shudder. "-**disappointment**."

Shepherd created two barbed whips with his sludge this time, lashing them towards Thirteen.

"I thought I told you that won't work!" The Space-hero shouted back as she prepared to activate her [Blackhole] quirk, but she gave a painful cry as a searing sensation erupted from her back. "Gurgh-! Wha-!" She creaked her head down to see a black spear piercing through her stomach, then looking back in horror to see the hardened sludge originating from a puddle of sludge behind her.

A puddle of sludge which trailed in a small stream all the way from Shepherd himself.

_"F-From behind…!"_ Thirteen realized too late. _"He put on that act with his question just now…a-all to set this trap while I never noticed anything…how c-careless of me…!"_

"Sensei!" All of the students screamed as their teacher fell to the ground lifelessly.

.

**=[]=**

"Thirteen-sensei! Sensei!" Several of the students cried in panic as they surrounded the fallen teacher, only to hear a groan and a twitch of the fingers in response.

Thirteen wheezed and coughed out. "D-Don't care about me…j-just get Iida out of here…!"

"I'm sorry Sensei," Iida choked out, his voice cracking. "T-There's just no openings…!" True enough, the black mist known as Kurogiri was keeping watch and surrounded them. The students didn't dare to approach him knowing his warping capabilities; they didn't need to be separated more than they already have. And to add on to their despairing predicament…

The students of class 1-A and Thirteen were crowded together as Shepherd stood guard around them and prevented any chance of an opening for Iida to slip through. Right now, he had lost all interest after the fight with Thirteen, and was now gazing back at where Eraserhead was fighting with a hungry look.

"This isn't good…" Shoji muttered. "Iida, do you think you can push your way through that warping villain"

"No, I don't think I can outrun him…" Iida answered while sweating a little, remembering just how fast that dark misty villain managed to appear in their midst and separated their classmates. "I'm more worried about the other one with the mask…"

"…if you guys just stay where you are and not move, there will be no reason for me to harm you…" Shepherd warned them. "…Bait should behave as bait, holding you guys hostage will help draw the full strength of All-Might – at least that was how the man-child planned it…"

"You didn't finish off the opponent immediately, Shepherd. That's rare of you." Kurogiri mused as he observed the barely-alive Thirteen.

"…If I personally kill someone who did not even bother going all out, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth…" Shepherd snapped back at his companion. "But he won't be alive for long…the toxins should be eating his cells right now; it's only a matter of time until his insides are rotted away…"

This was bad; they were down an ally and a major one at that.

"Iida..listen to me," Sato suddenly told the [Engine] quirk boy, "You have to get out of here and inform the teachers. That's the only way we have to chance to save Thirteen and the rest."

"B-But the doors are sealed shut by that sludge villain-"

"I'll handle that," Sato answered hastily, opening one of his pouches to fish out a small bag of sugar. "With enough power, I can break the door open…I hope."

"Break down the door?" Uraraka repeated nervously. "Sato-kun, I've seen you bash training robots before, but that door's specially strong-"

"I know Uraraka…but at my full power, I can at least create a small crack for Iida to slip through, but I will be woozy for a while from consuming too much sugar thanks to my quirk's drawback. But the problem now lies with that warp villain and that sludge-morphing villain."

"I'll do something about the one called Kurogiri," Shoji offered. The tall [Dupli-arms] teen did not like to take the chance of touching that thing when there are still so many unknown variables, but there was no other choice at this rate. "But as for the other…"

"I got a plan for that, so here's what we're going to do..."

The two of them finalized their strategy as quietly as they could with the rest of the class, and everyone nodded even though they looked unsure.

They only had one shot at this; they had to make use of this chance while the villains held some strange restrain to kill them on the spot.

"…they're planning some-" Shepherd began to say.

"GO!" Everyone burst into action, and Iida made a mad dash towards the exit alongside Sato.

_"What are they doing? Shepherd sealed the main exit shut, are they stupid enough to think that they can force their way through it with running momentum?"_ Kurogiri was stupefied by the student's actions, but there was no way he was going to let them do as they pleased. He immediately coiled in himself and raced to the front of Iida, who was nearly going to put the brakes on his run by the [Warp Gate] villain's insanely fast movement speed.

But Shoji saw that as an opportunity and jumped towards the stunned Kurogiri, using his arms like blanket to smother the misty villain and encasing it completely. "RUN IIDA!" Shoji yelled.

"What the-! Unhand me you ruffian!" Kurogiri tried to expand his form and break out of Shoji's hold, but the boy adamantly trapped him in place. "I don't think so!"

"…what do you think you're doing…?" Shepherd growled with irritation as he rapidly fired a volley of sludge projectiles at the entire group while running to aid his [Warp Gate] partner.

But he did not expect the brown-haired girl in the pink jumpsuit to dash toward Kurogiri before him. "Here!" Uraraka yelled as she tapped the metallic brace of Kurogiri, avoiding the storm of black shards at the same time, making the dark misty bartender float up like a balloon.

"…A quirk that alters gravity…?!"

Now weightless, the warp villain yelled in surprise as he was easily swung around in the air by Sero and his [Tape] quirk, spinning in the air like a roller coaster before colliding with an unexpecting Shepherd, sending both of them tumbling to the floor.

Sato in the meantime, ingested twice the normal amount of sugar in his pouch and felt his strength increasing by an explosive amount. Mina, who was busy spraying the double doors with acid in hopes of melting off the sludge somehow, quickly jumped out of the way as Sato reared his fist back. He threw a single punch at the metal doors, and bashed a human-sized hole through the exit, door and sludge together, clearing a path for Iida.

"You little-!" Shepherd rose to his feet with difficulty while shoving Kurogiri off him, quickly morphing his sludge to chase after the boy with the engine legs, but a shadow blocked his view, revealing himself to be Sato, who had dashed back to the [Toxic Sludge] villain at his top speed.

The hound-masked boy felt his shoulder cracked as the [Sugar Rush] student's fist made contact, knocking the wind out of him as his entire body was blown away down the stairway.

Sato squeezed out his last shout as he felt the last bit of his sanity fade. "GO, IIDA!"

"Everyone…" Iida clenched his teeth as he saw this, turning his focus to the front while the sound of his engines roared in his ears. His engines were threatening to overheat but he did not care, his speed set to the maximum as he blasted forward, leaving a trail of soot and smoke while he escaped to the outside through the crack Sato made on the doors.

The UA group could not help but smile as they watched this, cheering for their victory before dashing towards their key player; the boy barely standing and woozy thanks to the over-consumption of his sugar quirk.

"That was awesome Sato! You're the man!" Sero shouted in elation as he ran to give his classmate a high-five. The thick-lipped teen looked out of it, but he managed a smile as he gave a thumbs up…

…only for a massive black tentacle to slam him at the side and sent him flying. The same tentacle then lashed out towards Shoji, giving him a deep gash on the back and forcing him to the ground bleeding. The students of class 1-A turned around, horrified to see a very enraged Shepherd walking up the stairs.

The hound-mask covering his mouth was cracked at the jaw, blood dribbled down the side of his face while his purple eyes pulsed madly with rage. The tentacle that flung Sato away was in fact a 'tail', lashing behind Shepherd like a powerful whip, its spiked end glinting evilly in the light.

"…You…how dare you?!"

The moment those words left his lips, familiar black sludge flowed down Shepherd's arms and onto the floor, his bloodthirsty gaze was locked on to his new targets now. "…you guys…don't really listen, do you…! And after all the warnings I gave to you guys…you just wouldn't listen, would you?"

The class didn't have time to be unsettled by Shepherd's switch in demeanor as his black ooze flowed down around him and covered his arms completely like viscous tar, the puddles of sludge which were scattered across the area flowed back to Shepherd's side, joining the swirling toxic matter. A few seconds later, they finally solidified and formed two very dangerous-looking sets of claws, rippling with muscle.

He was furious…absolutely furious. If he weren't so angry, Shepherd would have been impressed by the hero students' willingness to fight back. In all honesty, he thought they would have quietly listened to his warning after suppressing Thirteen. To think they were so desperate to let one person escape this place, even if it means putting themselves in danger.

Heroes…so many heroes…and there were all kids his age. That fact that he had to struggle against mere students irritated him. It was making his skin crawl…the sight of them ganging up of him triggered a nasty sensation in Shepherd's mind. He had to kill them…kill them and get stronger…get stronger and kill even stronger heroes…

…for Sensei's sake…

"…Weak…the weak should have just kept quiet and watch obediently from the side…" Shepherd spat out. "…Weaklings have no right to determine their own fate. Weaklings should just die…!"

"Um…guys?" Mina, the pink-skinned [Acid] quirk user observed nervously. "I think we just pissed him off."

"He's crazy…even for a villain," Sero readied his tape, his expression grim. "But Iida managed to escape, so we got to hold on until he brings help back!"

"…stop muttering…so annoying…you guys are the ones who made the first move…SO FIGHT!" Shepherd roared. He brought his black claws forward, making them extend and shot them towards the students like ten obsidian spears.

"Scatter!" In the next moment, everyone was forced to flee, trying to escape the sludge spears which rained upon them like a black hailstorm.

"Waaah! That was close!" Sero screamed out as he narrowly dodged Shepherd's attack while simultaneously using his tape to reel in the unconscious Thirteen and shifted him out of the danger zone.

Shoji was busy carrying Uraraka away since she was slower than the others, while Ashido managed to offset some of the sludge by using her acid. Both of them wanted to check on Sato, but they can't afford to lose focus in the middle of the battle.

"Shoji, your back!" Uraraka cried out in alarm, making everyone look at the wound which was inflicted upon the [Dupli-arms] student by Shepherd. It was steadily dripping blood, and the wound was blighted with a diseased black infection.

"Looks like he wasn't kidding when he said that his quirk was poisonous…" Shoji grimaced.

"How awful…!" Ashido winced at the sight of the wound. "We have to get Recovery Girl-"

"…pay attention during a battle…!" Shepherd berated, retracting the black claws before extending them again, this time the students weren't so lucky. Mina and Shoji were caught in Shepherd's grasp, and were instantly knocked back to the walls, rendering them unconscious.

He hadn't noticed someone coming up from behind him, shooting out his tape around his waist and attempted to swing him away from the other class 1-A students. "Damn it…!" the [Tape] quirk boy clenched his teeth angrily. "Let go of my classmates damn it!"

Shepherd quickly countered this. He used his tail to sweep Sero's feet off the ground while he relinquished his hold on Ashido and Shoji before tossing them aside. Before Sero could get back up, the villain clenched his sludge-armoured hand into a fist and crashed it down on Sero with a hammer punch, slamming the poor boy into the ground and incapacitating him completely.

"And now…you're the last…" Shepherd turned his attention to the brown-haired girl, who was visibly shaking from witnessing how easily her classmates were taken down. He was thinking of using the sludge tail he created but a tugging sensation hindered his movement instead. He turned behind to see a heavily bleeding Sato, grabbing his tail by the end and stopping the villain in his tracks. "I'm not letting go you hear me?!" the yellow-costumed teen declared angrily, thinking of doing whatever he could to prevent Shepherd from touching his classmate.

_Wasn't he flung away at the very beginning? He was more tenacious than I thought, I'll give him that…_

"…you don't have to…" Shepherd scoffed, exerting more power into the sludge appendage and lifting the muscular boy high into the air effortlessly. With a quick lash, Sato was now coiled in the whip-like tail instead and pulled towards him. Shepherd reared his claws back and thrusted them forward. Four slash marks ripped through Sato's body.

The last fighting student fell to the ground. "SATO!" Uraraka rushed to his side and cried in worry before looking at Shepherd with eyes filled with a mix of fear and despair, tears streaming down as she fell to her knees.

Her brown eyes were wide and terrified. One glance was enough to tell Shepherd how helpless she felt, how she was on the verge of accepting her fate…a feeling which was strangely familiar to Shepherd, making his tempers throb slightly with pain.

"…You're crying…?" Shepherd asked, starting to grow annoyed. "…if you want to blame someone, blame your own weakness…The weak have no right to cry, to scream to the world that its unfair! It is as I said earlier; this is the result of you guys trying to fight back when you cannot even gauge the difference between your opponents…What you guys call bravery…I named it mere arrogance."

He slowly raised his clawed arm above the [Zero-Gravity] quirk girl. "…the weak perish, that's just how it works."

"…Shepherd," Kurogiri interrupted the [Toxic Sludge] quirk user. "We have to notify Shigaraki at once…we have wasted too much time here, the boy who escaped could have already notified the teachers for all we know. In the worst case, we have to retreat for today."

For a moment the [Warp Gate] user thought the kid was going to lash out at him again, but to his relief the boy just clicked his tongue and complied.

"…fine," Shepherd finally said before entering the warp gate Kurogiri created, leaving behind a distraught Uraraka and the rest of her poisoned classmates.

"…Sensei is going to be so disappointed with me."

.

**=[USJ center square plaza, near the lake zone]=**

_This is bad…seriously bad!_

Midoriya, Asui and Mineta could only watch in terror as he saw the enormous black being, a Nomu it was called, slam a broken armed Aizawa into the hard concrete. Their bodies were frozen in shock as they witnessed this inhuman brutalization.

"You can erase quirks," The pale blue-haired villain with hands over his body said, "That's a respectable ability but it's nothing impressive." He leered at their homeroom teacher. "In the face of Noumu's overwhelming strength, you might as well be quirkless…"

As to demonstrate that point, the muscular creature lifted Aizawa's head off the cement for a moment before crushing it back down, making the [Erasure] quirk hero groaned in agony.

What should they do? What do they have to do? What can they possibly do!?

"Midoriya…" Mineta whispered in terror, the fear in his eyes rapidly rising. "What do we do? We have to get out of here!"

This caused the boy to nod; he was just as frightened as the other two but if they stayed here any longer they may find themselves in a greater danger than before. Getting Asui and Mineta out of harm's way should be the optimal course of action.

"Okay…" Midoriya started to formulate a plan. "First, we have to circle around-!"

A black portal manifested in the heart of the USJ plaza, revealing the warping villain and…another villain who was dressed in black with a broken demonic-dog mask covering his lower facial features.

_"Another one?!"_ Izuku thought in horror.

"Shigaraki Tomura…" The [Warp Gate] villain called out hestitantly.

"It took you long enough," The leader of the villains now revealed to the heroes as Shigaraki replied back without averting his eyes away from Aizawa's torture session. "I trust that you and Shepherd killed Thirteen?"

"Thirteen has been taken care of thanks to Shepherd, but amongst the students we were unable to disperse one has managed to escape…"

"…he managed to get to the outside thanks to his classmates…" The other villain stated with an obvious hint of irritation. "…and now they are paying the price for that."

_…what? Paying the price…? What…did he mean by that? What did he do to their classmates?!_

Midoriya cast a worried look towards the USJ entrance.

"Kurogiri, you…" The shaggy pale blue-haired man started, "If you weren't our warp gate, I would've loved to kill you right now…can't you do your designated role properly?!" A haggard frustrated look was displayed in his eyes as he scratched his neck with his fingernails. He took a moment to seethe in anger before looking at the other villain beside Kurogiri. "And you, Shepherd…you can't even follow my instructions…a dog who can't even follow simple instructions should just be put down on the spot."

"…spare me the complains…I have a big enough headache as it is for today." Shepherd growled. "…I don't want to hear ramblings from someone who just stayed on the side-lines and let his lackeys do all the work for him."

"You brat…I should just kill you just here and now!"

"…don't push your luck, man-child. Sensei didn't say anything about killing you if All-Might never shows up…"

"Shigaraki, Shepherd…enough." Kurogiri argued. "There is no doubt that reinforcements will be arriving thanks to the student who escaped this facility. We should retreat for today."

Shigaraki nodded with a sigh.

"You're right…we can't clear this level when facing a group of Pro-heroes…" he muttered in disappointment. "It's game over for us this time…let's just go home…"

Mineta widen his eyes at this, hope relighting quickly. "They're going home? They just said they're going home right?!"

Asui nodded, "-That's what I definitely heard-ribbit! But…isn't this a little too easy?"

All Midoriya could do was nodded at her. "For them to retreat so easily after exposing themselves…after doing practically nothing?"

Didn't they say they were trying to kill All-Might!? If they leave now they have only alerted Yuuei of the threat they pose! "Game Over"? What on earth were they trying to pull…?

"But before that," Shigaraki said suddenly. "Why don't we use this opportunity to take…"

Two bloodshot eyes snapped hungrily towards the [Frog] quirk user beside Midoriya, his arm raised high. Midoriya's heart sank as he finally registered what just happened.

"…take down the pride of the symbol of Peace down a notch?!"

Asui wasn't able to react as the palm approached her face, only Mineta was unaware of the girl's impending doom.

"D-DON'T!"

Once his fingers grasped her face like a grim reaper…

Nothing happened.

Shigaraki let out a sigh of disappointment as he took a glance behind him. "You really are cool…Eraserhead." The desperate, glowing and bloody scarlet eye of their homeroom teacher was adamantly locked on to Shigaraki, cancelling his quirk.

The noumu holding the Pro-Hero in place however, knocked him out for good with another smash head-first into the cement.

_This is bad! This is bad! THIS IS BAD!_

_The opponent this time wasn't something they can escape from by using tricks or simple tactics._

_He just needed one punch…to push the villain back while quickly escaping with Asui!_

_Eraserhead can't save them anymore! It's now or never!_

"GET…YOUR HANDS OFF HER!"

Shigaraki turned to stare at him, his eyes wide in minor surprise. The boy rushed forward with his teeth grit and fist clenched tight.

"…**DETROIT** **SMASH!**"

A blast of wind blew the area in front of him apart, the water surrounding him was pushed away like a massive tidal wave, the loose debris flying everywhere forced Asui and Mineta to shut their eyes as the devastating punch of their green-haired classmate was displayed in full force. The shockwave from the blow also whipped up a huge cloud of dust .

As it settled, Izuku's eyes widened in shock to see the large form of Nomu in front of him, completely unfazed by his punch.

_How did it appear here from Aizawa sensei's side in such a short time?!_

_How is it unaffected?! I definitely used One-for-all!_

_Was this…was this how they were planning to kill All-Might?!_

"You move well," Shigaraki muttered from the giant Noumu, "Your 'Smash'…are you a follower of All-Might?" He sighed when Midoriya refused to reply as he shivered in fear. "Well…I'm done with you anyway. Noumu, do it."

The beak-mouthed monster glared down at the green-haired boy, its hand ready to crush him. At the same time, Shigaraki reached his hand out towards Asui and Mineta once more, getting ready to activate his [Decay] quirk without any interference from Eraserhead this time.

All Midoriya could do…was hear the sound of doors slamming open.

"I had a feeling that something was off when Thirteen didn't answer my calls," A powerful voice rumbled along with echoing footsteps. "So, I hurried here and happened to see young Iida along the way, and he told me just enough for me to get the gist of what's happening here…but it's okay now. Have no fear…" The expression on the man's face rivaled that of a wrathful god.

**"FOR I…HAVE COME."**

.

**=[USJ Entrance]=**

For the first time in a long while…he was furious.

Villains had attacked _his_ students, and if what he heard from young Iida was correct, it was all for the purpose of drawing him out.

Of all the cowardly tactics he had seen in his life, this had to be by far the most despicable one yet.

Toshinori…All-Might seethed in anger as he took in the horrible scene laid out in front of him; Thirteen had a gaping hole through his chest and his breathing was weak, dangerously weak. The other students…young Shoji, Sato, Sero and Mina were unconscious, the [Dupli-arms] and [Suger Rush] quirk users were sweating and groaning in pain, parts of their skin where they suffered severe wounds was blighted with a black colour. Sero was clutching his midriff in pain…due to broken bones. And…Uraraka was gazing at All-Might's appearance with renewed hope, her eyes red from crying, and the number 1 hero could tell that she had been doing all she could to bandage up her classmates' wounds, even though it had little effect.

"What happened here?" All-Might asked, noticing the small number of students gathered together. He then rushed to an extremely weakened Thirteen. "This…this is horrible…who did this…? Where's the rest of the students? Thirteen! Talk to me Thirteen!"

"S-Sorry All-Might…!" Thirteen said weakly, "The villain got me...! The s-students, some of them are still scattered across the USJ by a villain who can warp, but the students here done in by another…p-please tend to them first!"

All-Might grimaced as he examined the wounds inflicted upon everyone by the USJ entrance. "Don't worry, help is on the way! The principal will be coming here along with the other teachers, so hang on!"

A small tug from the fallen space-hero got All-Might to listen to another warning. "B-Be careful…! Other than the warp villain, there is another wanted villain here who you must be careful…he's the one who took down everyone here…!"

All-Might nodded. He then turned to Uraraka. "Young Uraraka…are you okay?"

"Y-Yes sir!" The brown-haired girl replied hastily, the light in her eyes coming back from the edge of despair now that the number 1 hero was here. "B-But everyone…!"

"I know, but now I need you to help move your friends close together to a corner and protect them until the other teachers arrive. Can you do that?"

A nervous but brave nod got All-Might to smile back. "Good."

They dare…they dare to harm children to this extent?! Where were they…?!

He found them by the plaza square right in front of him, their eyes filled with fear as though they were regretting ever coming here to challenge the heroes.

In an instance, he blurred around the battlefield. The lesser villains dropped to the ground as he streaked across the battlefield like lightning, his eyes gazing towards where a large monster was holding down Aizawa, as well as several other students fighting.

The villains had their fun.

Now it's time for payback.

.

**=[USJ center square plaza]=**

The entire situation had gone completely downhill ever since the arrival of All-Might.

The tide of the battle was flipped so fast that even Shepherd himself was dumbfounded by the sheer power displayed by the number 1 Pro-hero.

It happened so fast.

A blast of wind knocked him, Shigaraki, and the giant Noumu off their feet as the yellow blur grabbed the Eraserhead and the three hero students to a safe corner. Even the mostly intangible Kurogiri was blown into the air by All-Might's movements.

All-Might was strong…ridiculously strong…Shepherd knew that instantly by instinct. The fight with Muscular felt like a joke now that he was standing in front of the symbol of peace himself. If he were to fight him now…would he survive?

He was about to step forward when a piercing glare by Shigaraki froze him in place. "You stay out of this! We have the Noumu for a reason! Get him, Noumu!" With a mad cackle, Shigaraki commanded the hulking monster to charge All-Might.

"You're quite the big one aren't you!?" The number 1 hero blocked Noumu's punch and returned one of his own, but much to the former's shock, the attack was rendered ineffective. Every single punch caused the behemoth's skin to ripple and shake, but the monster just took everything thrown at it without showing a hint of emotion.

"That won't work, that won't work!" Shigaraki exclaimed gleefully. "He's got a shock absorption quirk; he's specially made to fight you All-Might!"

"…so he's specially made to directly counter the opponent's strength? What a tasteless fight…!" Shepherd snarled with disgust. "…let me fight All-Might Shigaraki! Make the Noumu fight the rest of the heroes and kids for all I care, but let me crush All-Might!"

"Sensei ordered you to listen to my instructions for this operation, so shut up and stay back!" Tomura snapped back to the masked teen as he began cooperating with Kurogiri to handle All-Might with one of their specially planned 'tactics'. "You have already failed once when you let the student escaped outside to get help, so the least you can do is keep an eye on the other hero brats and make sure they do not interfere in my battle…do I make myself clear?"

Shepherd really wanted to kill the man-child for that, but he had a point. Sensei specially ordered him to help Shigaraki and if he wanted to fight All-Might now, he would be disobeying orders. If this was reported back to Sensei…he shuddered to think just how disappointed the leader would be.

"…tch!" He turned his attention to the three students All-Might had just saved; a green-haired boy with freckles, a girl with frog features and a purple-costumed midget wearing a diaper. All of three students flinched when he glared at them.

"…this is all your fault…if only you guys knew your place and tried not to do anything…!" Shepherd declared, feeling no excitement from fighting mere students, but the sight of them reminded him of his earlier blunder with the four-eyes engine-legged boy.

"…tch!"

He seriously wished for the Noumu to lose; that disgusting mindless puppet can be destroyed for all he cared. That way he could still fight All-Might after he was done dealing with the children.

.

**=[]=**

Shepherd took a good look at his supposed opponents. They were all students, around the same age as him from what he could tell. They were tired, but their eyes held weary, determination, and hidden fury for what the villains had pulled during their supposed rescue exercise lesson. The green-haired boy stood in front of the group as though he was the leader…or simply because out of the three of them, he had the best chance of fighting against the opponent?

Wait…green hair…?

Shepherd paused for a millisecond, trying to think why that reminded him of something. And that green hair…why did it felt so nostalgic…? This was the first time he felt like this.

Well, it did not matter…all of them are the enemy, so there was no point overthinking things.

"Midoriya…what do we do?" The midget with purple balls for hair spoke out, his legs quivering from the close shaves he had with the villains, looking ready to run way. He looked like a typical weakling in Shepherd's eyes, "Should we go back to the entrance and check on the rest of our class? We don't have to fight this guy! There's something off about him!"

"But where can we go?" the green-haired kid called Midoriya replied, his fists raised as he got into a rather sloppy fighting stance, but he glaring at Shepherd with unwavering concentration despite the several broken fingers and other injuries he sustained. Was he a close-combatant type? "There's no guarantee that the villain won't follow us if we try to run away. Mineta, for now you and Asui have to bring Aizawa-sensei somewhere safe; I'll hold him off here."

"Midoriya, don't be rash." Asui…the girl in the green costume with frog-like features told the aforementioned boy nervously while she supported the unconscious Aizawa by the shoulder, her unblinking eyes scrutinizing Shepherd nervously. A mutation-type quirk huh…Shepherd guessed that she was a close-combat type as well, but her slender frame said otherwise. "I'm not in any better position to say this, but you have three broken fingers and you should hold back any plans to attack…let's just leave this to All-Might sensei and go back to the entrance. Look, the villain doesn't look like he wants to fight…"

"…the frog girl is right; there is no reason for me to fight weaklings…at least, that was what I decided when I met your friends back at the entrance behind you…" Shepherd suddenly said, making the three students snapped their heads towards the dog-masked villain at the mention of their classmates. "…you hero students have a serious knack for making rash decisions without considering your own fighting strength…the boy with the glasses didn't heed my warning and escaped this place, but now the rest of his friends are paying the price…"

"That voice…" Asui noticed, "Is he the same age as us-ribbit?"

"…what do you mean by that?" Izuku asked, his eyes narrowing with worry and increasing anger. "What have you done to our classmates?"

"…they are not dead, for now…I just gave them a little roughing up when they did not heed my warnings…but at this rate, the poison is going to eat their bodies from the inside-out…but I got bored, so I spared one of them."

The green-haired boy suddenly clenched his fist, his body shaking with increasing anger as he registered what the villain just said. Asui didn't let it show on her face, but she whipped her head towards the USJ entrance with worry-filled eyes. "M-Midoriya…this guy's bad news…!" Mineta shook Izuku's arm with shaky hands as he looked at Shepherd with terrified eyes.

There was that name again…Midoriya…

His tempers were starting to hurt. Why was that name making him feel this way? Shepherd paused for a millisecond, trying to think why that reminded him of something. And that green hair…why did it felt so nostalgic…? What was happening to him? "You're starting to give me a headache…!" Shepherd muttered, allowing his sludge to drip down from his arms and coagulate into two huge blobs of semi-solid ooze. The sight of it made Mineta and Asui slightly repulsed.

"Tar…no, sludge?" Midoriya exclaimed, instantly reminded of the day he and Bakugo were involved in the sludge villain incident, and just how helpless he was during that time. But that was then, he also witnessed how easily the sludge villain was suppressed just from one of All-Might's punches. If he played his cards right, this villain may be somewhat easy to handle…

His thoughts were cut short when the sludge on one of Shepherd's arms hardened to a weirdly-shaped cylinder resembling a gun barrel. "…**Schwarze Hagel **(Black Hail)!" Black shards of hardened sludge burst out and rained hazardously on the three students.

"Scatter!" Midoriya and Mineta quickly ran out of the line of fire, drawing away the villain's attention from Asui, who was busy moving Aizawa-sensei out from the fight. While Shepherd shifted his gaze to target Mineta first, Izuku rushed in from behind with his fist reared back, and threw it forward.

Well, tried to, anyway.

Without even looking, Shepherd willed the sludge on his other arm to morph into a double-edged blade and swung it towards the green-haired boy, ready to separate his torso from his lower-half.

But the boy was no longer there, but a shadow could be seen above. Shepherd looked up, seeing the [frog] quirk user Asui high in the air, her tongue lashed out and wrapped around Midoriya's waist, pulling him out of the sludge weapon's range and into the air. "…Don't just charge in recklessly-ribbit!"

Shepherd scoffed at this, and prepared to change his positioning to fire more sludge bullets at the two airborne heroes, only to find his foot stuck to the floor like glue. With a frown, he realized that numerous purple blobs were placed on the ground, with an annoying adhesive property which glued his feet to the ground. "Take this!" Mineta grabbed more blobs from his head and threw them towards Shepherd like his life depends on it.

Shepherd growled and used his sludge to wash away those annoying adhesive balls. "Enough!" It was definitely an annoying quirk, and it took time for the sludge to remove them completely, this made Shepherd's desire to remove the scurrying midget first even higher.

"Eeek! As I thought, this is hopeless!" Mineta shrieked as he saw how easily his blobs were being handled and how murderous the villain's eyes were as they locked on to him.

"Nice Mineta-kun! Just keep on throwing them!" Midoriya shouted as he and Asui landed safely on their feet. "Keep him occupied!"

"Damn it Midoriya…you owe me a big favour when this is over!" Mineta screeched as he pulled more blobs out of his hair and lobbed the villain. The [Pop-off] quirk user's scalp was already bleeding like a faucet, but he continued to throw despite feeling light-headed.

While Shepherd was preoccupied with this, Midoriya took aim with his finger and prepared to deliver one of his devasting finger-flicks. But Shepherd anticipated it and transformed one of his arms into a spiked sledgehammer, extending it and swinging in a wide arc, hitting the green-haired boy in the side. The young hero rolled across the floor and cried out in pain as the concrete dug into his skin.

Midoriya endured the cries of pain threatening to come out of his throat and pushed himself off the ground. But in doing so, he was just in time to see Shepherd upon him, lashing out with a kick in the chest. "Gargh-!" Midoriya couldn't hold back a scream as he felt a rib crack, tumbling back into the concrete, yet the villain was on him once more with a sludge sledgehammer raised, poised to bash Midoriya's head in.

A long tongue lashed out and held the masked-villain's arm in place. "I won't let you-ribbit!" The long haired [Frog] quirk girl told him, but pain assaulted the girl as the tongue began to spot a black poisonous infection.

"…fool…think twice before you want to touch me directly…" Shepherd said flatly, grabbing the tongue and making Asui winced in pain. With a swift tug, Asui was pulled towards him. He reared his hammer-turned arm. A sickening crack could be heard as the hammer smashed into the girl's stomach like a heavy gong.

The frog girl smacked against the floor, making Midoriya and Mineta rush to her side. "Asui!" Izuku shouted in worry before glaring back at Shepherd with seething rage. "You bastard!"

"…This is what happens when weaklings try to win a fight…" Shepherd shot back, starting to grow annoyed by the green-haired youth's voice grating on his ears. "…I don't care how resolved you are as heroes, but weaklings have no right to determine their fate…!"

"Shut up!" Izuku shouted. "You villains are the pathetic ones here; fighting a losing battle! The teachers will be coming to help soon, so I'll love to see how you fare against them instead!"

"You tell him Midoriya!" Mineta cheered.

…Midoriya…

There it was again…

Every time his name was mentioned, my head would throb with a headache…

The boy was nothing impressive…so why did the mere mention of his head made him this way…!?

I have to finish this up…to make the pain go away.

"…alright then," Shepherd sighed, honestly hoping that the fight would somewhat them run away with tails between their legs. He was supposed to fight All-Might, but Shigaraki specially instructed him not to interfere with the Noumu they were given. Even from here, he could see the mindless puppet going toe-to-toe with the number 1 hero, not bad for one of Daruma's tasteless creations he hated to admit that. So he had to wait…wait to fight the number 1 hero and grow even stronger. He'll kill more powerful heroes and get even stronger, just like how Sensei said he would. So, in regards to the children who were in his way of doing so, the answer was simple. "…I'll kill you then."

The sludge morphed fast, fluidly transforming into a spiked ball and lashed forward like a frail. It slammed into the ground where Midoriya and the others had been standing, breaking it apart. As they scattered again, he fired off more black shards using his quirk's scattershot mode.

Midoriya held back the urge to scream as he was forced to use one of his fingers to obliterate most of the sludge coming his way with his air-cannon like finger-flick to protect Asui while Mineta made use of his small size to dodge and weave his way out of the obsidian hellstorm. But there was a limit to just dodging; some of the shards struck him in the leg and arm.

Mineta whimpered in pain as the poison coursed its way through his wounds. "…shit! It hurts…!" It was like something was slowly eating his flesh from the inside-out.

"Mineta-kun! You…!" Midoriya hissed as he jumped. Shepherd frowned as he observed the boy preparing to use one of his two remaining fingers for another of his attacks. Red lightning streaks crackled and flashed across his hand as he spun in the air and aimed for Shepherd, his finger poised to send the villain flying across USJ.

"SMAS-"

"…you think I'll let you…?" Without batting an eyelid, he unleashed a wave of expanding sludge which wrapped around the falling Midoriya's leg tightly like a vice. Before Izuku could respond to this, he was repeatedly slammed into the ground and flung around like a ragdoll. He did this until he could hear the bones distinctly cracked and his body was wrecked.

"M-Midoriya…!" Asui watched in horror when she finally opened her eyes, having them closed earlier when the hammer strike from Shepherd's sludge-morphing quirk threatened to knock her out for good. She felt her tongue searing in pain like fire, and black infections blighted her body where Shepherd had wounded her. She was too careless…she did not expect that the villain's quirk had a toxic component…

Mineta was not doing so good as well. The pain wasn't that bad, but the diseased-black wounds inflicted to him by Shepherd was beginning to make his dizzy, and as time went by, the toxins were making the pain increased to even higher levels of agony. He was dangerously close to dropping out of the fight as well.

"His quirk's too versatile!" Izuku gritted his teeth in frustration, blood dripping down his lips as he fought to get back up. "Weapon morphing…poison…I thought he would be like the sludge villain, but I was too complacent…! He's…too strong…!"

"M-Midoriya…" Mineta mumbled, legs pushing himself up from a small pool of blood, all of which came from his scalp from overusing his quirk. "W-What do we do now?"

_What can he do…? Nothing was working against this guy…! _

"…so weak." A foot mercilessly grinded Midoriya's back and forced him out of his thoughts, the masked-villain looming over him. With a pitying look, Shepherd morphed his sludge arm into a spear, poised to skewer the boy like a flesh kebab.

_This can't be-!"_

"…now die."

_It can't end like this…!_

**"-DIE!"** a loud bestial roar resounded across the USJ as a plume of fire barrelled through the sludge and rocketed towards the villain like a missile. Shepherd quickly expanded the sludge from his arms on reflex and erected a crude shield to block the sudden attack. An ash-blonde haired boy with a murderous sneer aimed the explosion straight at the sludge shield, the extreme heat destroying parts of the toxic metal but failed to truly penetrate it. Upon seeing this, the assaulter just gave another sneer as he piled on the explosive power and blasted through the barricade and delivered a series of searing burns onto the villain's body. Clenching his teeth in mild pain and annoyance, Shepherd let forth a wave of sludge to swat off the newcomer. He was about to give chase…only to jump back when a layer of ice froze the entire ground and forced him back.

The resulting explosion caused Asui and Mineta to stumble backwards due to the great shockwave generated from the impact, but ice formed from behind them, acting like a protective shield as three new figures took center stage.

"Sorry we're late," Came the soft-spoken words, a boy with red and white hair came to view as he stood in front of his wounded classmates like a vanguard. "There're a lot of villains in the way here, so we were delayed for a short while."

"You can relax now!" A boisterous voice added, coming from a spiky red-haired kid. "Get ready for a manly comeback!"

"You look pathetic!" An aggressive and condescending voice screamed, an extremely volatile-looking boy entered the fray. "Why bother being a hero when you can't even handle these scrubs!? Deku?!"

The three of them took their stances in front of them. Kirishima with his nervous yet eager grin, Todoroki with a cold and calculating gaze, and finally Bakugo with nothing but murder in his eyes.

"You lot better stay out of my way and don't do shit!" Bakugo warned with a glare, raising his single grenade-like gauntlet towards them. "I'll kill this asshole myself, alone!"

What was with that condescending tone…? A feeling Shepherd knew all too well started to flare in his mind once more. This happened during the fight with Muscular as well; that sneer and way of speaking was making his tempers hurt again. Seriously…why do mere students have to give him such a headache?

"…more of you coming out of the woodwork…well, I guess I just have to kill you all too…!" The villain's costume was ripped to shreds by Bakugo's attack, revealing parts of the white-haired boy's bare body and his demonic-dog mask was cracked around the jaw. There were now several scorch marks on Shepherd's body, but he ignored it as the wounds began to properly mend itself, and black skin patched back over his renewed flesh.

Where did those three come from? Weren't the rest of the hero students scattered across the USJ and kept busy by those villain rabble they had collected for this purpose? Why were they here? Either those villain goons were too weak…or those three were simply strong.

"Be careful," Midoriya gazed at the three reinforcements and told them carefully. "A-All-Might is busy with the giant monster, the dark misty villain, and the other one with pale hair. The one standing guard and fighting us now can control some kind of sludge with a poisonous property. H-He can morph them into various weapons for both offense and defensive uses…and don't let his quirk touch your skin directly!"

"I DON'T need your advice!"

"Understood. So we just have to keep out of his reach and take him down right?" Todoroki calmly took in Midoriya's advice in contrast to his loud childhood friend. "Just leave this to us, I met with Uraraka earlier and she told me how Iida managed to escape to get help. But the others…"

"I know…" Midoriya grimaced. "This was the villain that defeated the group by the USJ entrance."

"Wait, I don't understand. What happened to those by the exit?" Kirishima demanded with a hint of worry. "Thirteen was there right? How could a Pro-hero…!"

"They all had these weird black spots over their bodies…poison I assumed." Todoroki answered, "Thirteen-sensei, Asui and Mineta over there…they all had the same types of wounds inflicted upon them. The sooner we defeat this guy, the faster we can get all of them back to Recovery Girl after we help All-Might."

"Poison…?" Kirishima muttered, before glaring at Shepherd with fury evident on his face. "That's not manly at all! You'll pay for that you hear me?!"

"…are you done? Can you all just go away…?" Shepherd asked, letting the sludge ooze from his arms once more. "If I don't get back to the man-child's side soon, I'll lose my chance to fight All-Might…If that happens, I won't be able to get stronger…then I'll won't be able to make Sensei happy…!"

"What the heck…you think we care about that?!" The spiky redhead called Kirishima yelled in irritation. This guy just harmed all of their friends just for that kind of reason?! "I say we send this guy packing!" he gestured to his other three classmates. "His quirk is kind of dangerous, but it's now 4 vs 1! We can take him!"

"Don't tell me the fucking obvious Head-for-brains," Bakugo growled. "I still haven't gotten my payback on that mist bastard for warpping me to who-knows-where."

"That I agree," Todoroki added on. "We can't afford to waste time here while All-Might is fighting, let's just quickly end this."

Shepherd cringed at that. He really wanted to get to All-Might, not waste time talking to these kids. Why were the students of this school so insistent on fighting so much? Why do they have a death wish? If talking to them won't make them leave, than force would be the only option.

"…you asked for it." Without a moment's hesitation, he leapt forward to the boy who insisted on fighting the most; Kirishima. He jumped and brought his leg up; morphing the sludge to encase his boot into a black spiked mallet, kicking down to bash the redhead in the head. However, Kirishima hardened his entire body, protecting himself against the attack with both arms and placed a strong grip on his leg. He dug his hardened fingers into Shepherd's limbs as he twisted and locked them in place.

"I'm not letting go! Now!" He gave the signal to the rest of his classmates.

Bakugo moved before Kirishima said those words, not letting go of this chance. Bakugo came charging at him fist raised to deal an explosion at point-blank. Midoriya was right behind him, his fist reared back. Both boys were poised to pummel Shepherd to submission.

However, none of that happened…when Shepherd twisted his body around, causing the captured leg to twist, the skin and muscle tearing open and blood to splatter out from the ruptured limb. The sickening crunch of bones echoed throughout the area, causing Kirishima to cringe in disgust, Bakugo to widen his eyes in bewilderment, while Midoriya was aghast and horrified. As he spun, the sludge on Shepherd's arms transformed into twin whips and batted away the incoming duo plus Kirishima, sending the boys impacting to the ground with a loud thud.

"…what the hell was that?!" Todoroki thought as he activated his quirk and sent a wave of blistering ice spikes towards the villain while he still had his attention on his other three classmates. Shepherd however, reacted to that as well; using his sludge whips to slash the air in a wide arc and forced the [half-cold, half-hot] quirk boy to retreat while the ice was sliced to pieces.

The white-haired boy landed on his intact leg, completely unfazed as the mangled leg spun back until it fixed itself, bones mending and new skin covering the wound. Super Regeneration?! The four class 1-A students nearly retched at this sight. They were shocked by the fact that the boy possessed a second quirk, but it seemed really painful. Why was he just standing there unfazed by all this?

"…You guys think they after everything I went through…" His purple eyes narrowed into a glare. "…you think something like _THAT_ hurts?!"

The moment those words left his lips, familiar black sludge flowed down Shepherd's arms and onto the floor, the dark ooze twisting into a new abominable weapon, coiling around the boy's arm continuously before revealing a jet-black drill laced with spikes. "…you guys…don't really listen, do you…! And after all the warnings I gave to you guys…you just wouldn't listen, would you?"

"This is bad!" Todoroki watched as the young villain did the same with his other arm and walked towards them at a steady pace, those drills of his began turning rapidly until a loud sound like a blender could be heard. The hybrid quirk recommended student of class 1-A quickly stood in front of the fallen trio and forced out ice, making his powerful quirk burst forth from his right side in an icy torrent, rippling through the concrete as it prepared to spear through Shepherd.

He observed in horror as Shepherd using his new sludge armaments to bulldoze his way through the ice waves. Shoto countered this by sending a wider blast and poured more ice to push the villain away. But Shepherd just continued to drill his way through the ice barricade, growing ever closer to them with each step he took.

_Damn it!_

"Bakugo!" Todoroki shouted as he doubled his efforts to unleash his ice upon Shepherd, who was dangerously close to slashing and hacking his way through to him. "Can't you help to move Kirishima and Midoriya out of the way?! That way I can-!"

"Don't give that shit about defence and try to lecture me on what to do!" Bakugo used his explosions to propel himself over Todoroki's ice and made his way to Shepherd with one of his grenade gauntlets pointed towards the villain. "If I can use an attack with enough power, this villain shit will be overwhelmed in one blow! Not even his weak-ass slime can hope to defend against this! Eat…"

"…THIS!" Pulling a pin out what followed was a massive torrent of an explosion that engulfed everything in its path. The deafening thunder of the blast thundered alongside the giant cone of destruction which surged over a mildly surprised Shepherd. When the dust cleared, everything in front of Bakugo was obliterated, and the villain was nowhere to be found.

"Tch…! Seriously Bakugo, would it hurt to give a warning…?!" Todoroki clicked his tongue in annoyance, barely having any time to construct an ice dome to protect a recovering Midoriya, himself and Kirishima, who had awoken due to the loud noise. "Not to mention, you just killed a villain, we are not authorised to inflict excessive harm unless there's no choice. Even if it's a villain-!"

"Got a problem half-and-half bastard? Who cares about what happens to a low-life villain?" The ash-blonde cut him off with a scoff. "That guy was going to kill us, right? And he sprouted some crap about fighting All-Might…what a joke. I didn't expect that guy to die so easily, funny how he talked big and acted like some cringy edgy character before. I say I did the world a favour by getting rid of that trash."

"That does not give you the right to kill him!" Midoriya yelled angrily, horrified by what Bakugo had just done. "You could have handled him with lower power and captured him! That was clearly excessive-!"

"Deku…" Bakugo hissed, explosions popping on his palms. "You're funny…taking the side of a mere villain. That bastard was belittling All-Might, and he was trying to kill us, so he got what he deserved. Let me tell you something, at least I have the resolve to do what you damn extras have struggled with for so long; doing whatever I need to get the job done. That is the difference between me, and a shitty nerd like you."

"You have always been like this…!" Izuku seethed, taking a step forward and confronting his childhood friend. "Thinking that life's a pyramid where you can step on top of others using your quirk to fuel that superiority complex of yours! Don't just kill people to fill your ego! Because of you-!"

"Dude calm down!" Kirishima stopped them with hands on their shoulders. "We can talk about this later, now we should go help All-Might-!" But something slammed into the redhead's chest with great impact and cut him off. A black brick hammer sent him across the water rendered him unconscious.

"…that was quite something; looks like at least one of you is a decent opponent." The stunned trio of students whipped their heads around in alarmed to see Shepherd behind them, his costume was almost burned off entirely and even more cracks appeared on his mask. Good grief…if not for the fact that his sludge quirk had a decent fire-retardant property. Maybe he should ask Giran to add 'fire resistant' to the list of things needed for his costume…he'll run out at this rate.

_"How did he get behind us?!"_ Bakugo wondered, he swore the bastard was caught up in the blast radius, so how the hell did he escaped?!

"…I would have loved to fight you, but…" Shepherd shot the [Explosion] quirk boy a look of pure loathing. "…something about you just makes my skin crawl…!" Todoroki, Bakugo and Midoriya were forced back, but found themselves running for cover once more as Shepherd morphed his sludge to twin barrels and fired off those annoying hardened shards of toxic metal, earning them a couple of wounds. Todoroki clutched his hand over the cuts on his arms and quickly created a wall of ice to block the wide-ranged attack. "…**Schwarze Hagel!**"

"Che…! His quirk's too versatile…" Todoroki growled; his hands full just from blocking Shepherd's relentless onslaught. "It can change from liquid to solid, and not to mention poisonous. To make things worse, he also has regeneration…!"

"While we're stuck here, All-Might is-!" Midoriya cast a worried look in the number 1 hero's direction, the latter currently in a four-way battle against the Noumu, Kurogiri and Shigaraki. He had just sacrificed the last two fingers to prevent most of the sludge attack from reaching him, and the pain was getting unbearably agonizing to endure.

"…Are you in the position to worry about other people? You should be concerned about saving yourselves…" Shepherd told them, increasingly annoyed by the student's stubborn tenacity. "…Besides, do you think weaklings such as yourself will make a difference? Just look at yourselves; you're all out of breath." Bakugo was gritting his teeth wildly, visibly angry by the fact that the villain was giving him such a hard time. Todoroki had half of his body covering in frost, hindering his movements somehow as his quirk seemed to be taking quite a toll on him. Midoriya had it worse, his fingers had been rendered useless, and the poison from the previous sludge attack was slowly making black spots appear in his vision.

"What do you think low-life trash like you fucks can do?!" Bakugo screamed, spatting out venomously in masked-villain's face, "All-Might is the symbol of peace, the absolute pinnacle of power! There's nothing you villain rabble can do!"

"Don't you dare sprout nonsense when you guys are the ones who attacked first!" Midoriya shouted, getting back up on his feet despite his many bruises and wounds. "We will protect All-Might as well, because we're heroes! Our dreams of saving others…don't you dare call us weak!"

"That's right." Todoroki continued. "You guys came in here to wreak havoc on students and teachers just to bait out All-Might. You said you only wished to fight All-Might to become stronger. But all you did was hurt, torture and make our classmates suffer for your selfish reasons. If you ask me…the only weakling around here, is you."

That lone sentence was like a slap to the face for Shepherd. However that shock was quickly by feral rage…

Without him realizing fully…an expression of pure rage was displayed in full force, his purple irises pulsing madly, and his sclera turned black.

"…what do you know…? What do you guys…with that justice crap sprouting out of your mouths…know about me?!"

The group visibly recoiled, even the stoic Todoroki showed a rare expression of slight fear and wariness towards the sudden change in attitude. His voice had become so cold…so twisted and distorted, and the air turned oppressive. The sludge surrounding Shepherd bubbled like boiling tar, as though it was responding to its owner's burning rage.

**"…You don't know anything…what do you know about being weak…?!"**

The sludge on Shepherd's arms gushed out at a rapid pace and twisted madly, wrapping around his arms like hideous armour and formed two massive sets of claws, razor-sharp talons fidgeting to slice something apart.

**"…weak…is when you can't choose whether you wanted to live or die!"**

A third appendage erupted from Shepherd's back; twisting, writhing, expanding and hardening until it formed a barbed tail, a spiked curved blade at the tip gleaming a malicious black. It snaked to life, the blade edge aimed at the three horrified students like a snake which found its prey.

**"Weakness…it's when…YOU ARE FORCED TO BEAR THE PAIN EVERYDAY! IT'S SCREAMING…MELTING…BURNING YOU FROM THE INSIDE…WHILE YOU'RE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING TO STOP IT!"**

That one roar had given rise to a whole new evolution. The putrid stench of the sludge had never been greater, and the black ooze had given Shepherd a bestial appearance. He crouched on all fours, his claws and tail made with compressed, hardened sludge the colour of darkest night. The demonic snarl of the hound mask the villain was wearing now looked like a part of his face, his sclera infected black and purple irises pulsing with unhitched madness.

**"DON'T YOU DARE…"** Shepherd bellowed in fury. **"…CALL ME WEAK!"**

None of the class 1-A students could respond. They were too paralyzed with fear. This was the first time they had encountered villains…but were all of them like this?! Could that…thing…be even called a villain anymore?

"Midoriya…Bakugo…! We have to take Asui and Mineta, and get out of here now!" Todoroki actually had a hint of fear in his tone, something that perturbed Midoriya, who had always known Todoroki as a calm and battle-seasoned individual.

"W-Wha…are you saying, Todoroki-kun?"

"We have to get out of here now!" Todoroki's face was tense, his body trembling slightly. "I was figuring out why his quirk looked so familiar, and I suddenly remembered! This guys is a S-rank villain who killed four Pro-Heroes in Kamino Ward! He's a hero killer, Shepherd!"

"Shepherd?!" Midoriya asked, his eyes not leaving the monster that resembled a beast spawned from hell.

"I DON'T CARE! We have to take down this crazy bastard now and help All-Might!" Bakugo bolted forward with a sonorous boom, hurling himself towards the villain.

Shepherd pawed the ground like a crazed canine and growled. **"TAKE IT BACK…"** he groaned. **"TAKE IT BACK…TAKE IT BACK!"**

And he blitzed forward with a snarl.

He moved faster than Bakugo could perceive, and a clawed arm grabbed him by the head. Without any time to react, the next thing the ash-blonde teen knew was that Shepherd slammed his head into the cement, before dragging him across the concrete. This caused the [Explosion] quirk student to yell in pain before Shepherd flung him far away from the battle.

"Kacchan!" Midoriya shouted in panic.

"We have to do something about this right now…!" Todoroki narrowed his eyes as he clenched his teeth, the sludge villain's attention now locked on him and Midoriya. "We definitely can't let this thing run wild in the USJ, as long as the teachers are not here yet, we have to keep this thing away from All-Might and the others!" He unleashed waves of ice upon Shepherd, and when he was distracted, Midoriya concentrated the power around his legs, rushing toward the villain in an insane speed and his fist cocked back.

**"…SMASH!"** The force hit Shepherd straight in the chest, making him roar in pain. But Midoriya's temporary victory ended quickly when the wounds began to heal, and the One-for-All inheritor found himself lifted into the air by the black clawed hand, Shepherd's eyes glaring at him evilly.

"S-Shit…I forgot-!" Were the last words Midoriya choked out before he was thrown a far distance away from Todoroki, the powerful black tail lashing out and flung Midoriya away with a force of a cannon.

"Midoriya!" Todoroki clicked his tongue as the black chaotic beast rushed towards him, forcing him to sent out pillars of ice as Shepherd's left arm twisted and morphed into a more hideous version of a Morningstar, spinning into the air and making the spiked ball destroy the wall of frost completely.

Defence was the only option for Todoroki.

Without a moment to waste, Shoto conjured another wall of ice pillars just as Shepherd pounced forward with his right claw morphing into a giant, hellish blade, slicing the ice again like a guillotine. This painful process continued with Shepherd unleashing his arsenal of sludge weapons like a madman. Hammers, drills, whips, blades…they all bashed through the hero student's quirk like it was nothing.

Shoto used a small window between the sludge morphing to sent out a wide ice blast and forced Shepherd back, pouring more ice to push him further away. If he could just force him into the water…maybe the sludge will dissolve somehow…

Shepherd roared with fury as he hammered down and clawed the ground like a crazed animal hungering for its prey. And then

**"TAKE IT BACK! TAKE IT BACK…TAKE IT BACK!"** The villain continued to scream; madness evident in his eyes. Shepherd roared with fury as he hammered down and clawed the ground like a crazed animal hungering for its prey. And then he lifted both of his arms before piercing them through the ground, making Todoroki confused by this weird action.

"What is he…?"

An ominous rumble answered Todoroki's question, as the entire area frozen by Todoroki began to shake and rupture, black spikes jutting out like demonic spears and spiked their way towards Todoroki. **"SCHWARZE...SCHLUND BESTATTUNG!** (Black Beast Fanged Burial)**"** Shepherd screamed out his special attack in a bestial rage.

Todoroki desperately tried to escape by using his ice to propel himself backwards, but given his slow reaction this time in addition to the sludge's insane speed, several of the black spears had managed to catch up to the [Half-cold, half-hot] quirk user. Cuts, pierces and many wounds were inflicted upon Todoroki. With a painful cry, the boy fell to the ground riddled with slashes.

Shepherd could feel someone shouting for him to stop, an irritating voice at the back of his head screaming. Why should he stop? It was as he said earlier: Weaklings shall perish while the strong survives. The ones who died shall pave the way for him to reach even greater heights. They insulted him as a weakling, they all deserved to die. Those who belittled him shall know their place and will be trampled upon. Be it a student, a teacher, the number 1 hero…or even his allies. To fight…and become even stronger…and completely erase weakness…

At this point, he wasn't going to care if he interfered in Shigaraki's fight and take All-Might for himself, even if it means disappointing Sensei. Sensei told him that he was happy to see him growing even stronger for the league. If it means getting stronger, he wouldn't care less about his own allies.

He remembered when Sensei was there when he was lost, unable to remember who he was. It was Sensei who gave him a name. It was Sensei who nurtured him and treated him like his own son. No matter how gory he looked, how many corpses laid by him, Sensei would accept him…no matter what.

Sensei had saved him…and he would not betray his expectations.

These heroes…even students…they were in the way…they had belittled him…their cause…and got in the way of his goal. It doesn't matter if they were heroes…villains…or even the entire world. He'll crush anybody who looks down on him!

A soft coughing broke his thoughts. His eyes found the boy called Midoriya, who had barely recovered, black blights covering his arms where Shepherd's tail had slashed him. "I was supposed to stab you through your chest where it's fatal…" His dark eyes lingered on Midoriya's heavily wounded figure. "…but it appears you were spared thanks to putting up your guard at the last second, huh?"

Dark spots were beginning to cover the green-haired boy's vision, and he could barely feel his limbs. Gritting his teeth, he aimed his arm at Shepherd, not caring if it was going to be broken. "You…! **SMASH!**"

He unleashed every once of One-for-All. Every single bit of strength he could muster.

Shepherd just tilted his head to the side and let the power of the punch roar past him, obliterating a section of the USJ's perimeter.

"…The toxins have been circulating through your systems for quite some time since we started, haven't we ?" Midoriya tried to inch away from the white-haired villain, only to stumble and fell to the ground as the numbness of his limbs increased. "It will eat your flesh, render your limbs useless before making its way into your organs." Shepherd was now right in front of him.

Midoriya could feel his entire body trembling. Not even One-for-All could stop this guy. Was this the realm where pros face this kind of opponents daily? Their world? He thought he was ready to take the first step…but he was greatly naïve. Seeing as to how he was unable to do anything, he could only cry out tears of frustration, glaring back at Shepherd with anger burning in his eyes.

"Why are you crying…? Are you angry of dying here…?" Shepherd asked. "Do you think that if you put your life on the line for others, you deserve not to die? How foolish. The weak can only live their lives while being trampled underfoot, and paved the way for the strong."

"Why…?"

"W…Why…!" Shepherd frowned at the boy's enraged expression. "I can't even begin to understand your reasons, yours actions…what drives you guys to come here and kill everyone! Everyone here…is aiming for their dreams…and you people just show up and try to mess everything up with your nonsensical logic! Just why?! Don't think you can just stomp others underfoot because you have the power to do so! Because of people like you…my friend…!"

Friend…? Who was he talking about? Was he talking about someone who had fallen victim to other villains before? He could somewhat emphasize the feeling of loss…of absolute defeat. His friend probably was rather weak if he was killed by a villain without being able to fight back. But that was just his fate; the weak perish while the strong survives…that's all there was to it.

He could understand the pain of being weak, being unable to do anything. That was why Shepherd strived to be strong, and the teen in front of him was in the way of doing so.

"Don't you dare call my friends weaklings…" He stood over Todoroki protectively, eyes blazing with unbridled rage. "Don't you dare mock our dreams!" He glared at the white-haired villain bravely. "Take one step closer…I dare you!"

He…didn't want to see him reacting this way. He didn't know why…but he just knew why exactly the green-haired boy in front of him was acting this way. The boy was someone who cared about his friends more than anyone else, a boy who wanted to save others more than any other hero, even though he was timid, had a small build…and stutters like an idiot when talking to girls.

Again. It happened again…a sense of nostalgia. Now, another feeling expressed itself; sadness.

This boy's name…Midoriya, was it? He looked weak as hell, his fingers were all completely bruised and bleeding, his knees were shaking…but despite all of that, why doesn't he give Shepherd the impression of someone weak? This feeling…it was…admiration?!

…green hair?

_"Don't cry okay? Everything will be alright!"_

A child's voice spoke in his mind.

The sludge swirling around Shepherd slowed and fell down to the earth softly. The madness present in his pulsing purple irises receded while his hound masked finally cracked apart to reveal his lower features. His white hair was swept up by the wind, revealing his entire face to the world. He blinked, the image of the green-haired kid growing stronger while a lump was stuck in his throat.

And then the words came out. He whispered something so softly, that Izuku himself could not hear. It sounded confused…a little nervous…yet it held unexpected warmth and kindness which contradicted the brutal way he fought just now.

"…Mi…Midoriya…kun?"

Izuku froze. That voice…it can't be! He snapped his head up, gazing at the confused look Shepherd had on his face, and the boy whom Midoriya had been friends with since his childhood overlapped.

His reddish-brown hair which was once the colour of rust had turned snow-white. His purple eyes, while it looked worn, broken, and held a shattered look still had the spark of determination he displayed when he faced Bakugo back then in junior high.

His face was pale, and it had narrowed down from aging, but he was no doubt the same friend Midoriya had failed to save that fateful fay.

That was…impossible! He was reported to be dead, though his body was never found…but…this-!

Izuku's mouth moved on its own, nothing came out at first due to disbelief, but he whispered in fearful anticipation. "…Ha…H-Hakazuka…kun?"

Almost instantly, in that single moment, great pain erupted within Shepherd's mind, a searing sensation like fire threatening to melt his head. "Grgh…gargh-GARGGGGGHHAA!"

That crazy doctor Daruma appeared in his mind, grinning gleefully as he inserted needles all over his body. _"Come now…sing! It'll ease the pain!"_

He could feel them squirming under his skin…disgusting black ooze won't stop coming out of his body…he could feel them melting…his bones…intestines…his very mind! The pain he though was long gone suddenly surged back to extreme levels.

Images flooded his mind. Screams echoed in his ears. A horrible feeling like his brain was being torn apart assaulted him mercilessly. It felt like hell was opening itself to him all over again, dragging him to the lowest pits of his insanity and had him experience torture all over again.

He stumbled backwards, eyes shut tight as the pain skyrocketed and finally made him fall on his knees, clutching his head in agony.

Hakazuka…who was that person?! No…I'm Ha-Shepherd! My name is Shepherd!

He could feel it melting his insides…the pain returned at full force. The horrible feeling of the sludge…rotting his insides…going on his lungs, his blood, his intestines…it was eating him from the inside! What did that boy do?!

Please don't…please don't make me experience this pain again!

"WHAT IS THIS!?" Shepherd thundered, rearing his head back and screamed. "Grr-gargh!"

"GARGH-! GRFGHHH…GARGGGGGGGGAAAAHHHHHHHHAAARRGGGG!"

Screams erupted from his throat as he clawed his face. The sludge was beginning to writhe and twist into a formless mess like it was reacting to the owner's turmoil. What was happening…why has the pain returned?! Why was he being shown all of this!?

N-No…Stop! Don't make me remember this hell!

Midoriya's eyes widened in concern, rising to his feet despite the pain and shouted towards the spasming villain. "Hakazuka-!"

Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! DON'T SAY THAT NAME GODDAMMIT!

Shepherd's mouth opened, and he screamed.

.

**=[]=**

Shit!

Was the word describing All-Might's situation right now.

"Kurogiri…do as planned and warp half of his lower body." The pale villain instructed as the Noumu was holding the number 1 hero in place with its inhumanely tight grip.

"I dislike guts and the like in my body, but against a person of your calibre, it cannot be helped." Kurogiri told the trapped hero as the warp gate grew tighter around All-Might and was dangerously close to digging into his skin.

A piercing , inhuman scream shook the air. The pale villain fell back with his hands clasped around his ears in pain, the dark misty villain momentarily loosened his hold on All-Might, while the hero himself was forced to clamp over his ears to block out the horrible sound.

_Who had screamed?_

"This voice…!" Kurogiri muttered as he gazed in his companion's direction, seeing the white-haired boy falling to the ground as he continued to scream in great agony. "Shepherd?! What happened to him?!"

All-Might continued to clamp his ears as the sound threatened to burst his eardrums, looking down to see that the villains themselves were confused by this sudden interruption.

"What the hell is happening to that brat now…!?" Shigaraki growled in annoyance as he looked at his fellow villain's direction. "Whatever…Kurogiri, continue to dissect the symbol of peace in half with your [Warp gate]! Do it now!"

"But Shepherd-!"

"I don't care!" Shigaraki screamed, his eyes glowing a dangerous red. "We got a rare chance to continue, and I won't let such an opportunity to kill the symbol of peace once and for all slip away! Kill him, Kurogiri! DO IT RIGHT NOW!"

Part of the dark mist villain was tempted to take a look at Shepherd's situation. Just what in the world happened for him to scream like that? Even if there were exceptional students, there was no way he would have been beaten so easily, much less reduced to a screaming fit. But if he were to lose his concentration now, their efforts to kill All-Might could be all for naught. He has to finish this up as soon as possible!

With an unnatural grunt of impatience and rage displayed in the misty villain's yellow eyes, he cast a glare towards All-Might. "I was hoping to witness your death nice and slow…but I'll tear you in half alongside the Noumu right now! Die-!"

"HOW ABOUT YOU DIE INSTEAD!?"

"What the-!" All-Might's eyes snapped open as an explosion ripped through above him, dispersing the dark mist villain in every direction. Seeing this chance, All-Might gave the Noumu a good whack to the face and made him loosen his grip. "I have to put down this monster while I have the chance!" With all of his power, All-Might sent the Noumu hurling into the air with one massive punch after many consecutive punches to counter the monster's [Shock Absorption], sending him packing out of the USJ's roof much to Shigaraki's utter shock.

"hah…hah, found your weak spot you shitty mist bastard…!" All-Might turned around to see a horribly battered Bakugo suppressing the portal villain by pressing down on the metal component of his seemingly intangible body.

"Young Bakugo…? Wasn't he fighting some other villain with young Midoriya and the other students? If he's here, wouldn't that mean that the other villain has been taken care of?" All-Might grew hopeful.

"I didn't see him…!" Kurogiri grimaced. "I should have sensed him coming…shit-!"

"A STUDENT?! WHAT THE HELL IS SHEPHERD DOING?!" Shigaraki cried out, his fingers clawing his neck. "It was his job to keep the brats busy! Why is one of the students here?! WHY? Just how many times is that brat going to infuriate me?!"

Shepherd? Was that the name of the villain young Bakugo and the others were fighting? In spite of his various injuries, he flashed a smile towards the ash-blonde kid who saved him. "Thanks for the save, young Bakugo. I trust that you didn't rough up the villain too hard before coming here?" he chuckled.

"No…I-!" Bakugo muttered, the lack of the boy's usual aggressiveness surprised All-Might. In fact, there was a hint of nervousness and fear in his voice. "The villain…he-!"

A second scream caused shivers to run down everyone's spines, making them clamped their hands over their ears to block out the horrible sound. Kurogiri made use of the noise this time; expanding his form and throwing Bakugo off him, before re-joining Shigaraki's side.

"Shigaraki, we have to retreat!" Kurogiri advised urgently. "With the Noumu gone and Shepherd in that state, we cannot defeat the symbol of peace!" In that moment, the doors to the USJ opened, and the teachers of Yuuei burst into the building, immediately getting to work.

"Grrr…!" Shigaraki was that close to screaming back, but a sigh escaped instead. With a disgruntled nod at Kurogiri, the dark misty villain conjured a portal gate and transported Shigaraki away before All-Might could even react.

.

**=[]=**

"Hakazuka! Is that you?! Talk to me, Hakazu-!"

A dark swirling portal materialised in front of Midoriya, obscuring his view of the screaming white-haired villain. Suddenly, a pale hand grabbed Shepherd by the arm and yanked into the dark portal.

Midoriya paled when he realised it was the warp gate villain and the creepy guy with the pale blue hair. Weren't they fighting All-Might just now? What happened to All-Might?!

The pair of yellow eyes glared from the warp gate. "My apologies, but we would love to take back our fellow companion if you wouldn't mind.

"His mask broke huh?" Shigaraki muttered and scoffed. "What a blunder, now his face is revealed to the heroes."

"Stop dawdling and get back into the portal Shigaraki, the other heroes will be taking back this facility soon." Kurogiri berated, feeling a tad more forceful as he felt the broken Shepherd struggling against his shadowy tendrils, clutching his head and whimpering like a hurt puppy. Kurogiri pulled his body into the portal along with Tomura, casting the heroes one last glare before the entire villain group faded into the swirling darkness. Shigaraki himself was giving the heroes one last venomous look, his bloodshot eyes promising suffering and death.

"You guys got lucky…we still have a saved file to continue!"

"H-Hakazuka!" Midoriya tried to shout, but his body finally buckled down from the poison circulating in his system. All he could do was slammed his fist onto the floor as he cried, lost and confused at this sick joke fate seemed to be playing on him.

.

**=[League of Villains Hideout. Kamino Ward]=**

"It's all your fault!" Shepherd whimpered once Shigaraki violently tossed him to the floor once they returned to the hideout. "If it weren't for you, we would have gotten the symbol of peace! You had one job, just ONE JOB!"

"Shigaraki enough. Shepherd, are you alright?" Kurogiri asked, having witnessed Shepherd's sudden breakdown. "Shepherd, can you hear me?"

"W-Why…?" His body continued to shake. "Why do they make me feel so much p-pain…?"

Shigaraki and Kurogiri looked at each other in confusion. Never have they seen the kid act this way before.

"Make it stop…!" tears continued to spill from Shepherd's eyes, the searing migraine won't go away. He just wanted the pain to stop. "Please…just make it stop…!"

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**=[To be continued]=**

_"Why does it hurt so bad…?! The pain is returning…! My head is splitting! Gar-gargh…! That boy with the freckles…that brat with the blonde hair…w-why do I feel this pain…?! Why couldn't I finish off that boy…he looked weak as hell…what did he say?! Haka…zuka-! No…NO! Who's that? Why did that boy call me that?! I'm Shepherd! I DON'T KNOW ANYONE CALLED HAKAZUKA! I AM…"_

_"SHEPHERD!"/ "Shepherd?"_

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A/N: Write a comment!


	5. Revelations and Aftermaths

A/N: A shout out to those who left the reviews!

phelipebr: Glad you loved the fight!

Betacode79: That's right, the heroes will definitely have mixed reactions to that. It will be answered in this chapter

Raven Mordrake: That is still a topic I have not thought too deeply into yet.

Donovan2771: You'll just have to see in this chapter.

CREED6: Welcome to the story! You'll just have to wait and see.

alexanderjuarez499: After this chapter, the gore is going to mellow for just a bit...I'll see how this goes.

Now, onwards!

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**Chapter 5: Revelations and Aftermaths.**

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**=[Dreamscape]=**

**_*Hick!* *Hick…!*_**

Shepherd's eyes fluttered opened. Where…where was this? It wasn't his room; it was an endless white space, not a single soul in sight. Slowly he moved forward in the blanketing darkness, his footsteps echoing loudly. He did not know where he was going, but…he can't just do nothing.

**_"*Hick!* I-I'm sorry…! Please forgive me…!It's my fault!"_**

He whirled around. Where was that crying coming from? Why was it apologising? What has it done wrong?

**_"I killed those heroes…I killed them…! I know it's my fault…please don't me do that!"_**

Stop that…stop that annoying crying…He hated dealing with people who kept crying for no reason.

**_"Please…don't do this! You have to stop! I'll do better next time so please stop this!"_**

Then, in a distance, a small figure came into view. He walked closely and stopped in shock, finding a small boy strapped to an iron chair with chains tying him to the seat. He had reddish-brown hair the colour of rust and big purple eyes brimming with tears as he continued to beg.

**_"I don't want this…! I'm sorry for everything…it's my fault you're doing all this…!"_**

"Shut up…stop apologising!" Shepherd clutched his tempers in pain, taking a few steps back to get away from the young child. The voice was soft, the boy was harmless as a fly…but why was his voice ringing loudly in Shepherd's head? It was resounding…echoing…it was making his head hurt.

Why was this brat crying? Why was he apologising for? It was beginning to piss him off.

**_"Midoriya is our friend! Our best friend! Those students never did anything to you! Why can't you remember!? Why are you hurting innocent people?! "_**

Midoriya…? Who? Was that the boy with the green hair he fought the other day…? The weakling who gave him a headache?

"No…NO I DON'T!" Shepherd choked. "I don't know any of them…they are all the enemy!"

**_"LIAR!"_** the boy snapped. **_"WRONG WRONG WRONG! If you don't know him, then why did you stop that time?! You have to remember; WHO YOU ARE!"_**

Remember…me…?

The boy's face lifted, finally revealing his identity to the young teen. Shepherd's eyes widened completely, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He was looking at his own face, it was much much younger…but he had his face!

He was looking at himself.

**_"Please don't do this! This isn't you!"_**

Shepherd could not form a response, only taking a few confused steps back while clamping his ears to block out the sound, but the latter's words bypassed and echoed in his brain pleadingly like a desperate curse.

**_"THIS ISN'T YOU! YOU HAVE TO STOP!"_**

"Shut up…!"

"Shut up…shut up…!"

"Shut up…shut up…SHUT UP!"

**_"PLEASE!"_**

"You don't know anything…! Just shut up and stay quiet…!"

Snapping his eyes shut, Shepherd let forth a scream and roared.

"PLEASE…JUST GO AWAY!"

.

**=[Bakugo Katsuki's residence]=**

_What the fuck am I doing here?_

Bakugo found himself wearing his old school uniform, hands in his pockets and his foot tapping the ground impatiently. He had been called here by the teacher after that inspector came to the class to ask about the disappearance of that quirkless dweeb called…what was his name again? Whatever, he had done nothing wrong! He had specially reminded his two friends Yatsuma and Torishima to behave, and yet they managed to drive someone crazy to the point of possible suicide. He was applying to U.A for crying out loud! If they somehow convinced the teachers he actually bullied a guy he barely knew, he was personally going to make sure they faced his wraith.

"Bakugo Katsuki, you were in the same class as Haka**** Ko****. Do you have any contact with the student prior to his su-disappearance?" asked the principal, his beady eyes accessing Bakugo's unreadable expression. Bakugo thought for a moment before answering.

"I ain't familiar with that guy. But Yatsuma and Torishima always talked about him when they're with me. It was only until recently that I found out he was bullied." He answered in a neutral voice.

"And you didn't do anything to correct your friend's behavior?"

"I don't like to poke into other people's business. Besides, I don't even know anything about that guy." Bakugo answered truthfully. He could have told her what he said to him that day, but that would mean shooting himself in the foot. "I didn't expect him to be bullied by those two."

Nodding, the principal allowed him to leave, even thanking him for providing the two boy's names. Walking out of the door, he let out a long sigh. _"I told her the truth. Even if what I said to the guy had some impact in his final moments, those two shitheads still are the main culprits for making his life hell. It doesn't have to do with me."_ That was what he swore before graduating.

.

The scene than changed to the USJ, making Bakugo scowl.

Bakugo Katsuki had almost managed to forget how humiliating it was to lose. The first was during the basic hero exercise when that shitty nerd Deku managed to one up him and snagged the win for round-face and himself. To think that the scrawny stutterbox who couldn't even look him in the eye would stand up to him and even knocked him to the ground once.

_The 'Deku' which you called me won't mean I can't do anything forever! It means I can do it! _

The fire and determination in his eyes angered him greatly, and it reinforced his belief that the shitty nerd has been hiding his true quirk and ability from him all this time. Was all that weak personality he displayed in middle school all a façade? Was he being played by that green-haired youth the entire time? All this time…he was tricked?! The more Bakugo thought about it, the more infuriating he felt, and he was going to make sure that such a shameful defeat will never happen to him again.

Until the second time.

That villain who wore that creepy mask. There was something in his eyes that unsettled the [Explosion] quirk user. Those purple eyes looked familiar for some reason…but they were dull and blank, a tinge of madness swirling inside those empty-looking irises. There was something off about him; the way he looked at everyone like they were mere garbage by the side of the road, his attention only directed at the teachers. It was the first time someone looked at him like that, and it was a skin-crawling feeling.

_"Why are you looking at me like that?!"_ He could have sworn the villain just dismissed him with a scoff at the very start at the USJ entrance before he was transported to a different location. _"Don't you dare look at me like that! Fuck!"_

He wanted to blow that villain away with those unwanted feelings, destroying them all with his [Explosion] quirk. But the most infuriating fact was that the quirk used by the masked villain…

Was sludge.

Just seeing that hideous black ooze was enough to trigger the nasty memories Bakugo had tried so hard to put it behind him.

He could never forget the incident with the sludge villain; it was the incident which that shitty nerd Deku tried to save him from, a situation where he was helpless to do anything. He was ready to obliterate that villain and prove to the world that his strength was genuine, and he was certain that he had enough firepower this time to take down a sludge-quirk user. He was caught by one before, and he was determined to never let himself be beat by such a disgusting quirk again in his life.

Oh, but just how wrong he was.

It wasn't only the extraordinary fighting ability of the sludge-morphing villain that caught Bakugo off-guard and sent chills down his spine. That strength…that speed…the way that villain was looking at him like a prey which was ready to be devoured, he would be lying if he wasn't spooked out.

The sight of the villain nonchalantly taking his attacks like a sandbag but retaining that condescending look towards him made the [Explosion] quirk teen bristled. He was losing control and wanted to end everything with another explosive strike but he was flung away from the battle and thrown aside like garbage.

His mind was racing, unable to accept what just happened. For a moment…his body instinctively switched into defence like it was trying to run away from the sludge-user. But he remembered that All-Might was fighting three villains at once, immediately heading towards where the number 1 hero was fighting to help. He didn't think much of it back then, but what he did back then made him shudder.

Of all the thing possible, for the first time, he, Bakugo Katsuki, was scared, ran away and showed his back to the enemy.

_"What was that just now? Was I…afraid?!" _he thought. _"Shit that can't be it goddammit!" _But for some reason he could not speak. As he ran away, a black blur blocked his vision. He looked up in horror, to see the beast-like villain trudging towards him with the lifeless bodies of Todoroki and the shitty nerd in his black claws. Bakugo's feet shuffled backwards, his heart hammering loudly against his ribs, and the sound of his quickened breathing roared in his ears. The sludge covering the villain's mouth opened like a monster's maw, and the next words sent a shiver down Bakugo's spine.

_"…something about you just makes my skin crawl…!"_ A look of pure loathing and hatred was reflected in those purple eyes. _"…die!"_

A scream erupted from the ash-blonde boy and Bakugo bolted upright. He was back in his bedroom, chest heaving heavily while sweat drenched his tank-top. He realised that he had blown his pillow to smithereens and he had inadvertently blasted a scorch mark on the wall. His hands trembled as he grasped his hair, the visage of the sludge villain still fresh in his mind.

_Why did he say that?! And why does he look so familiar?! _

"FUCK!" he hunched over, covering his face with his hand. The pride he had built up over the years, swelled up to the point of bursting, was beginning to crack.

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**=[Uraraka Ochako's Residence]=**

Uraraka felt genuine fear for the first time.

Ever since the USJ attack, she'd had awful nightmares playing the same thing over and over again. Of screaming…of the cries from her classmates while she fell to the ground in utter despair and hopelessness. Thankfully, classes had been cancelled due to the USJ attack for one week and a huge percentage of her class were sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. She was under the impression that as long as she did her studies well enough and trained hard, the path to a hero was going to be reasonably smooth-sailing and her dream of making money for her parents would not be far off.

That was until the memories of the villain called Shepherd started to haunt her. The black tar-like substance and putrid stench of toxic metal, those purple eyes full of madness and indescribable hatred, and those chilling words that sent shivers down her spine as the incarnation of destruction loomed over her like a demon spawned from the pits of hell.

_This is the result of you guys trying to fight back when you cannot even gauge the difference between your opponents…the weak perish, that's just how it works._

Those chilling words haunted her even now.

The feeling of not being able to do anything, the impending doom…it just felt so horrible. Was this what she has to face in the world of the pros? She had been too optimistic…those practical lessons in U.A now felt like a joke.

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**=[League of Villain's Hideout, underground lab]=**

"What's wrong with him? Why isn't he regenerating?"

All for One asked the Daruma while Shepherd was forcefully strapped to the iron chair in the mad doctor's lab, eyes shut while murmuring incoherently and in a constant delirious state.

"He's suffering the drawbacks of [Toxic Sludge]," Daruma said. "he probably produced too much sludge and overused his quirk, as you can see from the black patches of skin on his body. Right now, his body is trying its best to counteract against the venomous components of the toxic sludge, but at this rate the regeneration may not be enough. As for why he's acting like a total mental patient…I have absolutely no idea."

All for One frowned. "The backlash wasn't this serious after the fight with Muscular."

"He probably remembered some sort of trauma which causes him to activate his quirk to extremely dangerous levels," Daruma explained. "Whenever he experiences a near-death scenario, or a sudden spike in emotion, he forcefully increases the amount of sludge in his body to more than the usual amount. Right now, the toxins are dangerously close to overwhelming the regeneration given to him. He's recovering, but if he continues to experience extreme spikes of trauma or emotions in battle, it's only a matter of time until the toxic sludge consumes him."

"How long until he fully recovers?"

"It's hard to say…" Daruma grumbled. "According to Shigaraki, he broke down because he talked to one of the students, right? Maybe some sort of old memory is making him feel constant pain-"

A painful groan interrupted the doctor.

"All for One please wait," Daruma warned All for One as he approached the restrained boy. "He's still unstable-"

"Shepherd, what happened to you yesterday?" Sensei's voice was soft, but dangerous.

Shepherd shivered uncontrollably in his chair; eyes shut as the visions of those boys still plagued him in his nightmares. His eyes then snapped opened, and Shepherd found himself dripping cold sweat. Rapid breaths escaped his mouth as he tried to calm himself down struggled against his restrains.

He felt tears running down his face, and the searing headache assaulted him once more. "P-Please…!" He begged, feeling the wetness of sweat and tears. He was feeling giddy, and his entire body felt cold. The patches of black skin he had regenerated throughout the USJ attack had still not recovered fully to their original complexion; the toxic sludge trying to eat its way into his body. The regeneration was working…but it was painfully slower than before.

Shepherd's entire body ached with the memory of the small boy he saw in his dreams. Each and every single word that child screamed sliced through his mind and caused a migraine to agonize the white-haired villain. That boy…actually terrified him.

_His face…his voice…That boy WAS him!_

But that was the least of his concerns. He knew that he was transported back to that mad doctor's lab for Sensei's 'guidance'. He knew that he only came here when he had done something wrong, something to upset Sensei…and he shivered uncontrollably.

He feared Sensei's guidance, but he knew it was necessary to make the pain go away.

"This is the first time something like this happened to you, Shepherd." Sensei continued, and the boy flinched from the overbearing presence Sensei was exerting over him. "I may have been too optimistic about taking down All-Might during Tomura's plan yesterday, but I had actually held high hopes from you, given how you have never failed to disappoint me even once. But after what Shigaraki has told me regarding the events of yesterday, I still find it hard to believe…"

_No…no…no…not that tone! Not that!_

"You broke down in front of a mere student…and let one of the students distract Tomura while he almost had the symbol of peace."

_D-Damn that man-child…to think that he would report every single details of his blunders. _

"That's interesting, really." Sensei continued. "Because such a thing as happened, we have to make sure that something like this should never happen again. So why? You could have killed them, so why didn't you do so?" The man's voice sounded calm…gentle, but Shepherd knew better what happens when things don't go the way Sensei intended to. He only had one chance, one chance to give a satisfactory answer and placate his mentor for his mistakes.

Sensei apparent grew impatient with the boy's silence. His hand struck out, powerful fingers digging deep into Shepherd's neck and caused his dull gaze to refocus on his mentor. "I asked you a question Shepherd…how long are you going to stay silent? Or perhaps, you are displeased with me in some way I'm unaware of?"

Shepherd froze, lips trembling before they pulsed tightly, finally admitting his situation to the two men standing before him.

"…There was a green-haired boy during yesterday's operation…and a blonde kid…They gave me a headache…" Shepherd wheezed. "…The green kid called me…H-Hakazuka? W-Who…who was he…?"

"Hoh?" This time Sensei sounded amused. "A green-haired kid, was it? Now that you mentioned it, Shigaraki did tell me about a green-haired child who had speed comparable to All-Might's. But what of it…Shepherd?"

"W-Wha..?"

"So what if someone happened to know you? Mistaken identities are common." Sensei continued, finally letting go of Shepherd's neck to let him breathe. "Are you telling me the same problem will happen every time you think a person knows you? We can't have that, can we? Would you rather have the pain return?"

"N-No no no no no! Please…! No more p-pain…!" Shepherd shook his head vigorously, but Sensei's hands grabbed the boy's forehead in a powerful grip.

"But you have to remember this pain, Shepherd." Sensei's words fell on deaf ears as Shepherd felt his head splitting into two. "This is what happens when you lose. Let this sensation be your reminder to what happens when you show the enemy mercy."

He could hear the voices, the voices of those kids in the USJ, the voice of that kid in his dreams, the voice of his own screams demanding for the extreme pain to stop. They were crying out to him, asking him to stop. Why should he stop?

He remembered this sensation…it was that horrible feeling he felt before he met Sensei, his very first memory of his life. It had returned…why?! Because he was weak. Hewasweakhewasweakhewasweak! The pain assaulted him because he showed weakness to the enemy. It has returned because he was weak and nothing. He was a failure. He had disappointed Sensei. He couldn't get stronger. The pain will only continue if he does not show adequate results to the League.

_That's right…I am Shepherd, the hellhound of the League. I-!_

A second later, the horrible screaming stopped and Shepherd's head hung loosely like a puppet with its strings cut.

Sensei sighed in the sudden silence.

"Really now, what a troublesome boy." All for One mused. "It would be much easier for me if I had turned him into a complete Noumu from the very start."

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**=[Yuuei, Recovery Girl's office]=**

"So far, we have managed to identity the main ringleaders of yesterday's attack on the USJ." Detective Tsukauchi explained to his friend Toshinori Yagi, otherwise known as All-Might. They were both currently in Recovery Girl's office where the hero was being treated for his injuries sustained during the USJ attack. "Kurogiri, the villain who looked to be made out of black mist, has a warping quirk which allows him to transport groups of people to different locations, simultaneously according to testimonies."

"Having a rare quirk like that is troublesome should it fall into the wrong hands," Toshinori commented while sitting up in his bed. "They can literally be anywhere."

"As for the second, the supposed leader of the operation Tomura Shigaraki, from what I heard from the students and villains we captured, he was in charge of the League of Villains," the officer looked through his notes, "He has a decaying quirk which allows him to disintegrate whatever he touches. Currently he's classified as a S-rank villain."

"I remember the way he spoke and acted, like some kind of child who expected things to go his way." All-Might frowned. "And what about the last one?"

"The last villain excluding the monster we apprehended," Tsukauchi replied grimly. "The one who possibly did the most damage in yesterday's events; sending a total of one teacher and eight students to the Musutafu General Hospital for emergency treatment. Believe it or not, I actually wanted to meet you earlier this week and brief you about this guy, but it looks like he has already introduced himself to you and your class. The only villain to have reached S-rank in 2 weeks, Shepherd."

"Are the students alright?" Toshinori was worried his students were severely injured by the villain. "How about Thirteen?"

"They'll live…but most of them are still bedridden with symptoms of severe metal poisoning. We can only be grateful that you managed to arrive just fast enough to help them." Naomasa said. "This particular villain has a quirk which allows him to control a sludge-like substance with a high concentration of toxic metals, giving anyone black infection-like wounds should they have direct skin contact. The venom component is nothing we've seen before, a poison that destroys and consumes the human tissue and increases its own mass. If a person was left in such a state for a period of time, he or she would be reduced to a blighted corpse."

"Yeah…it was horrible." Toshinori grimaced as the horrible scene replayed in his mind. "I was almost tempted to ferry the students myself when Chiyo's healing quirk had no effect on the students."

"My quirk, [Heal], allows me to amplify and speed up the human body's natural healing process to recover against _physical injuries_," Chiyo Shuzenji, or known by her heroine name Recovery Girl stepped in and explained. "But it is unable to heal the body against viruses, or anything foreign which has entered the body. And if you were to touch the infected wounds, there's a chance you may be affected by the villain's quirk as well."

"That's the most dangerous aspect to this quirk," Naomasa continued. "The toxins will strengthen and devour the cells the longer it remains…Thirteen has managed to survive even though she has suffered a wound through her stomach, but she has been exposed to the toxins far longer than the students; she is still in the Intensive Care Unit where she is still drifting in and out of consciousness. Her duties as a teacher and a hero will no doubt be halted."

"Regardless, I'm still thankful for the fact that the hospital has an antidote for the poison Naomasa…the police sure worked fast."

"It's still at the testing phase, but it's nevertheless a timely countermeasure for this particular villain…thanks to the many sacrifices who have fallen under the villain's quirk. But the more serious issue which I came here to discuss with you today is regarding the countermeasures against the villain Shepherd, and what troubles me is this villain's possible age as well as his state of mind."

"I…noticed that too," All-Might looked down and crossed his bony fingers. "I didn't think much of him at first, but he's rather short for a villain and I heard him scream just right before the villains decided to pull back. I could tell at he's a kid, but as for why he was screaming I do not know." He chose to omit the fact that he actually heard young Midoriya talking to the villain himself, screaming out a name and causing the villain to go into some kind of mental breakdown. Now would not be a good time to involve his young successor into this and made others suspect that he had ties with a S-rank villain.

"Yeah, I thought so as well, but through a different source." The detective commented.

"Young villains aren't uncommon," Recovery girl stated. "But most of them are juveniles with poor upbringing, being small troublemakers at most. This is the first time I've seen one doing so much damage…"

"How tragic," A voice said while a small figure entered the room. The three looked to see the principal of U.A, a small white humanoid mouse or possibly bear named Nezu, arrived. "To see that someone so young as turned into a life of villainy."

"Principal Nezu," Detective Naomasa greeted.

"You mentioned that you were assured of his age through a different source," the small animal said as he took a seat. "Would it be possible for you to share us that 'source'? Though I do believe that you came here to share with us everything the police knows about this 'Shepherd' right, considering that our students have faced him in battle."

"…of course, that has always been my intention, but this case isn't as simple as about an above-average villain you have to look out for. I have looked into this villain as well, and I have discovered some disturbing facts. Do you remember that villain you sent flying out of the roof yesterday, All-Might?"

All-Might finally remembered the fourth villain he saw in yesterday's events. "Yes I do, what about it?"

"We captured it but it doesn't seem to be able to talk or resist capture or even struggle to free itself," The detective told him, implying that this particular villain couldn't act without specific orders, like a mindless puppet. "What bothers me is that it apparently had multiple quirks, [Shock Absorption] and [Super Regeneration]."

"Yeah, it definitely did." The number 1 hero pondered too. "But what that have to do with the villain 'Shepherd' we're talking about right now?"

"I'll be getting to that soon enough." Tsukauchi said, with his face looking rather somber and his eyes had a dark look in them. "We got footage from one of his battles, though it came at the cost of a few heroes and their sidekicks. As for both of your questions…I believe this video will provide you the answers you'll need."

Taking out a mini-projector from his briefcase, and a video was played onto the clean wall surface of Recovery Girl's office. What was shown, however, made everyone's hearts sank into despair.

What they thought was a battle…turned out to be a one-side massacre. No, it was a straight-up slaughter show.

The villain in question was truly worthy of his title as the Hellhound, a savage beast dancing across the streets of Kamino Ward and displayed his brutality with his sludge-weapons morphing. Many fell and were laid to waste by a combination of the boy's savage fighting style, and the powerful poisonous properties of his sludge quirk. All around him were the corpses and blighted bodies of the fallen villains.

Muscular was seen enjoying the fight, his blood lust and viciousness even making All-Might shudder to think about the poor victims who fell under him. "This is the strength of an A-rank villain, the psychopath who killed many heroes and civilians." Tsukauchi muttered darkly, his eyes never leaving the projection. "We lost many men trying to track him down…only to discover something more frightening."

All-Might's thought for his friend to elaborate was cut off when the [muscle] quirk villain threw a devastating punch which could rival All-Might's. It seemed like the giant villain had won…until a long black tail pierced through his chest, and revealed a rapidly regenerating Shepherd grinning like a madman. "That's the same regeneration that the guy I fought displayed!" All-Might commented with shock and mild disgust. "He has multiple quirks too?"

"Keep watching."

Nezu's expression was unreadable, but his eyes narrowed on the boy known as the Hellhound. Half of his face was blown off by Muscular's attack, revealing bare bone and raw flesh. Muscles are being reconstructed, flesh was being sewn back together, and new skin the color of obsidian patched Shepherd's outer appearance into a more demonic form. While this happened, the sludge formed Shepherd into what the viewers could only describe as a monstrous beast; bearing sharp talons and claws, a black barbed tail lashing powerfully through the air, a black muzzle of a hellhound opening in a vicious snarl. After this gut-retching transformation, Shepherd began mercilessly tearing Muscular apart, taking pleasure upon seeing the arrogant smile on the latter's face turned into one of fright and horror. Towards the end, everyone could not forget the warped screams and muffled cries of Muscular as he was slowly stabbed from the bottom up.

"He's purposely missing his vitals," Recovery Girl looked increasingly perturbed by this scene. "Is he's torturing him?"

"There was hardly anything recognizable about Muscular by the time we managed to secure the body," Naomasa grimly stated. "From what the autopsy report indicated, the guy was riddled with holes and his flesh was devoured inside-out by Shepherd's venomous sludge. The pain was reported as 'a searing sensation like something is eating away your body' by surviving heroes, and Muscular endured that for two hours straight. We do not know which is more impressive: Muscular's abominable endurance and tenacity, or Shepherd's brutality."

Toshinori had a hand clamped over his mouth, dangerously close to vomiting.

Once the bloody slaughter show was over, The U.A faculty could see the brutal executioner clearly. From head to toe, he was stained with blood. His mask was cracked and shattered in the fight, leaving his face exposed. The villain looked above a little into the camera by chance, allowing the wind to shift his bangs apart and revealed the visage of a young, but gaunt-looking boy, not much noticeable facial features except his captivating purple eyes.

"We scanned his face through the city's facial recognition system…to see if the villain was indeed a citizen from Japan, and we got a match." Naomasa stated, projecting a blown-up image of a young boy no older than 14 years old, posing nervously for a school picture with spiky reddish-brown hair. He looked so tensed and introverted…and harmless in every way. "Name, Hakazaka Kotaro. Age, 14. Quirk, none. Parents, currently divorced. Nothing really special to say about him, but the problem is…he's supposedly dead."

"Hakazaka…?" All-Might could have sworn he heard that name from somewhere before. But where? "What does a deceased quirkless boy have to do with this?"

"This boy…" Nezu muttered, remembering the small but tragic article which sparked the outrage over quirkless discrimination. "Isn't he a third-year student from Aldera Junior High? The one that was reported to have jumped off the roof of the school by suicide because of quirkless bullying. He was declared dead…"

"…but the body was never found." Naomasa finished for the principal, a sad look reflecting in his eyes. "…there have been rumors that the League of Villains has a way of cultivating mindless soldiers with multiple quirks. You know what I'm trying to say here, right?"

"That's…no…it can't be…" The number 1 hero couldn't believe what he was hearing, looking at his detective friend with horror in his eyes. "No…that man wouldn't have-! But if the boy was dead-"

"That thing they call a 'Noumu' is living proof that the League has the means to do so. What I'm about to tell you is not confirmed yet, but the DNA of that monster you fought belonged to a small-time quirkless thug who was reported to have gone missing several weeks ago. After the USJ incident, we have a hunch that the League does indeed have a way of turning people into those monsters, and giving them multiple quirks as well, " Naomasa added grimly. "…Toshinori, you said yourself that there is only one person you know who could transfer quirks, adding more to a person if he wanted to," the detective looked at his friend. "Someone you fought before?"

"B-But the thing I fought was just a monster! A puppet constructed just to take me down…while that boy is a human!" All-Might stood from his seat, unable to accept this revelation. "There's no way a normal kid like that would work for the villains willingly!"

"I know where you're coming from, but there is no other explanation for the boy to undergo such a drastic change." Naomasa stated darkly, his tone promising the ugly truth. "…we have reasons to believe that he was somehow tortured and conditioned to be the League of Villains' hunting dog. And from the looks of it, they have succeeded."

"He's still a child, but for him to display such ruthlessness…" Toshinori paled, his eyes darting between the killer known as Shepherd and the harmless-looking kid shown in the photo. "You can't even say they're the same person anymore; he's like a completely different being!"

"Take a look at that boy's eyes Toshinori," Recovery Girl said, her face grieved to see such a broken youth. "Those are not the eyes of someone full of hope…Those are the eyes of someone who has been broken, tortured and have everything taken away from them. I have seen those eyes before in my line of work; victims of extreme psychological and emotional abuse whom I have regretted not being able to help. Whatever those villains did to him…it broke him completely."

**"So, this…this is what my old nemesis has been up to all this time…?"** Steam smoked from All-Might's body as he trembled not with horror, but utter rage and disgust. **"…THIS?! Turning…children…innocent children into mindless soldiers for his cause?!"**

When everyone saw this, they instantly knew what the number 1 hero was thinking in his head. His eyes burned with fire and his muscular body rose into full height without the blonde man knowing, his fists clenched so hard that his knuckles turned white. He was feeling so angry…he had never felt this angry…ever since he fought that despicable man and delivering a mortal wound which crippled him permanently.

Pure rage which seemed to make All-Might exert his own gravity field.

"Toshinori, don't." Recovery Girl told the man sternly. "I know that look, and I feel the same way, but we don't know the full details yet-"

**"What's there left to figure out?! THAT MAN ROBBED A KID OF HIS FUTURE AND TURNED HIM INTO A MINDLESS KILLING MACHINE!"** All-Might snapped angrily to the Pro-Heroine whom he had known since his debut. **"If it wasn't bad enough that the young boy suffered injustice throughout his entire childhood…his body was desecrated and turned into…THAT THING! That man made a child into one of them! He probably broke him and fiddled with his mind until he's nothing but an obedient dog! I have half a mind to march into Kamino Ward and turn the entire place upside-down to put down that bastard for good!"**

"And how would you go about doing that? How long are you going to spend doing so?" Nezu calmly asked back. "Heroes and the police alike have been investigating Kamino Ward for years, under the suspicion that it houses some of Japan's most dangerous villains, and found nothing. You are not the man you once were Yagi, you can barely hold on to that form for 3 hours, and you will be in the villain's home turf this time. You may be the symbol of peace, the strongest hero in the world perhaps, but even you should know that the strongest can be beaten by overwhelming numbers."

"B-But…We can't just-!" The truth hurts like hell, and All-Might found his argument becoming lesser and less convincing.

"The principal is right Toshinori; you are not to tackle his problem alone. If you are at the top, you should learn to rely on others more often." Naomasa added and patted the hero's back reassuringly. "You managed to beat back the villains in the USJ yesterday, but you may not be so lucky next time. They almost made use of your wound and nearly got you the previous time. What if you have to face all of them again, along with Shepherd? Are you confident of winning when that time comes?"

The number 1 hero was silent. He knew that they had a point, they knew that due to his wound from the fight with his old nemesis, he had to be careful…but now that he knew that the S-rank villain was just a child? A power-driven child who has been conditioned to kill people in cold blood? How would he save him? Where could he possibly start?

"If all of this is true…we have to save him…!"

He reverted to his true form in resignation, flopping back to his seat with frustration evident on his face. "…he's just a child…he must be feeling so scared…we have to save him…we just have to…!"

"I know Yagi, but we have to be certain of his identity first." Nezu turned to Naomasa. "How is the police reacting to this information?"

"Well, there a bit of an uproar on that issue." The detective replied, bring the attention in the room back to him. "The case of Hakazuka Kotaro's suicide is being reopened, and several investigations are undergoing to confirm if Shepherd's identity is indeed the boy in question. It would be great if we can capture the villain alive and somehow rehabilitate him back to how he was before, but…"

"But what?" Recovery Girl frowned, not liking where this was going.

A grim look appeared on Naomasa's face. "The damage has already been too big; Shepherd has killed multiple Pro-heroes, not to mention taking part in an operation to kill you, the symbol of peace. He even attacked the class of 1-A with the intention to kill. Higher ups are pushing for the option to kill Shepherd on sight if he so much as to resist, given how dangerous he is…"

"That preposterous!" All-Might argued. "That boy may be mind-controlled for all we know! His memories might have been altered or he may be under a delusion that what he's doing is correct!"

"Indeed," Nezu agreed with All-Might. "If that's the case, then we may have to resort to force in order to subdue and restrain him. It's also optimal that we find out more of the boy's past so that we may jolt his memories, and somehow break him out of the villain's control. For starters…"

Nezu flipped through the files provided by Naomasa, "From what I know, if Shepherd was indeed the boy called Hakazuka, then he should have been in the same class as Midoriya Izuku and Bakugo Katsuki."

"Young Midoriya and young Bakugo used to be classmates with this boy?" All-Might muttered in surprise. He never knew that. "I supposed I should question them?"

"I trust that you conduct this investigation discreetly Toshinori; no need to tell the others that our students may have connections to such a dangerous criminal," Nezu told him.

"We have obtain concrete evidence before taking action." Nezu concluded to the three individuals. As heroes, they had a duty to save others...he just hoped they were not too late.

.

**=[Musutafu General Hospital]=**

Endeavor was fuming mad when he got the news.

A large-scale attack was started by the League of Villains right in the USJ of U.A. Not that he was concerned over the reasons behind the supposed sneak attack, he was more concerned over the prized possession he had nurtured over the years to surpass All-Might which was Shoto Todoroki. The boy who was miraculously gifted with both aspects of his and Rei's; the ultimate hybrid which he had sought to create. Yet here he was right now; stuck in a hospital bed with many bandages wrapped around his wounds. He was expected to be the most powerful student in the whole of class 1-A, so what the hell happen?!

"How could you let yourself be beaten like this!? What happened to all those years of training I've beaten into your body all these years?! On top of that, this is all done by one lone villain? If you don' get your act together, you'll never be able to climb to surpass All-Might and fulfil your duty!" Endeavor bellowed.

_Don't give him what he wants, don't pay attention to him, don't be provoked_, Shoto repeated to himself, praying that he can last through his father's usual bloody harangue.

Shoto sat by the hospital bed, trying to block out the words of his father's ramblings while caressing the many wounds inflicted to him by the strange boy in the mask. Just when he was determined to not use the fire aspect of his [Half-cold, half-hot] quirk and prove that he could prove his worth as a hero without his father's influence, this had to happen.

_"I can't ignore what he's saying now…it's a fact I lost."_ Shoto thought to himself in resignation.

"I've seen the footage. In the face of danger, you still won't use your left side huh?" Endeavor glowered at his son's defiant behaviour. "How immature, not willing to embrace your blood in that kind of situation. You were lucky that an antidote was already concocted to counter the poison, if not you would have been long dead and all of my efforts to raise you would be for naught! If your petty hatred towards me has led you to be become this delusional about being a hero without embracing my power, then this incident should be a life reminder to the consequences of those foolish thoughts!"

"What! Don't you dare act like you care about me after all this time…I'm just a tool for you, a weapon…the only reason why you're angry because if I had died, you will have nothing to show your superiority to All-Might, aren't you? Know this, people are not your personal tools to use or throw away based on your whims – not me, not Fuyumi, not Natsu…nor MOM!"

Shoto felt the temperature of the room rising, and a fist blazing with crimson fire flared before him in a threatening manner. The two of them glared at each other, daring the other to say something before hearing a couple of hushed whispers from the nurses outside. While Endeavor was a hothead, he was still a top hero, which meant he was perceptive of the situation he was in. He knew it would take more than a threat to get through Shoto's stubborn nature, but he could tell from his prized son's attitude that he was angry about his loss as well. He could only hope that this lesson would spur Shoto to finally wake up from his petty grudges and complete his life mission; to be a hero that surpasses All-Might.

"The U.A Sports Festival is coming up," Endeavor shot Shoto a warning look. "It would be a good opportunity to show the school and the country just why you are a recommended student. Even though I have constructed a plan for you to intern at my own agency, you should strive to show everyone your true power. Your career starts with a good public impression, and I expect no less than the best from you. Do. Not. Disappoint. Me."

With his point made clear to the frustrated Shoto, Endeavor extinguished the flames on his body as he stomped out of the hospital room, and made his way back to his own agency. While he did so, he grabbed his phone to scan through the data his sidekicks had hastily complied for him.

S-rank Villain: Shepherd. Another alias: Hellhound. A new villain who made waves in Japan after killing 4 Pro-Heroes and their sidekicks in Kamino Ward. His danger level was raised to S-rank after similar casualties in a mere two weeks. He was initially thought to operate solo until his appearance during the USJ with the League of Villains. Possessed a sludge quirk with extremely toxic metal components capable of destroying the cells when exposed directly to the skin, or even worse – directly injected into the body. The villain also demonstrated a super-regenerating quirk during the attack on USJ, making this killer even more formidable.

Never had Endeavor seen such a villain rise to the top of the danger charts this fast before. A mysterious villain just showed itself to the world with enough power kill multiple Pro-Heroes, where was such a monster hiding before then? What purpose could he have for killing Heroes? Why does he only appear in Kamino Ward? To make things worse, there have been rumours that his particular villain was only a child. A child, for goodness sake.

The last information was unconfirmed, but if it was true, the might of the heroes would surely be undermined.

No matter the amount of danger the reports were portraying this 'Shepherd' to be, Endeavor would make sure to make him pay. Shoto was the one thing he had spent his entire life to nurture; his life ambition. Whoever dared hurt his most prized possession deserved to be hurled straight into the deepest pits of Tartarus, and he was personally going to make sure that happens.

No matter what.

.

**=[League of Villain's Hideout, Kurogiri's Bar]=**

Morning could not have come sooner for Shepherd, as the events of the previous days had taken its toll on the villain's mind. But thanks to the fine-tuning from Daruma, Shepherd's body had stabilized enough to get him back on track.

He felt more clear-headed than he was before, but the visions of the small boy in his dreams still haunted him like a curse.

Why did he feel such grieve over the boy's words?

"THIS ISN'T YOU!"

He scowled and readjusted the brand-new mask provided to him; the hellhound-invoking vizard representing his identity of the League's watchdog. He was Shepherd, and nothing in here could rebut that. The voices in his head were still there, but he was able to keep in under control. For some reason, he was unable to recall the names of the students he fought against during the USJ. He didn't wonder why, nor did it matter to him, but it still perplexed him. Perhaps they were not that important to him.

At any rate, he was ready to get back to business. After all, the failure of Shigaraki's operation proves that the League of Villains still have a long way to go.

"…So, we are gathering more members?" Shepherd asked as he and Shigaraki, accompanied by Kurogiri, walked to the dimly-lit bar via the underground passageway.

"Yeah, that's right." Shigaraki grumbled. "Thanks to your mental fits, we even lost the Noumu Sensei gave to us. We have to bolster up more members for future plans, so you better not mess this up, brat."

"…First of all, that disgusting puppet you call a Noumu was sent flying away thanks to All-Might." Shepherd frowned. "…Second, don't push every single one of your failures to me you man-child, learn to take some responsibility and grow up…!"

"As soon as you stop calling me man-child!" Shigaraki shouted back.

"Enough, Shigaraki…Shepherd." Kurogiri chided tiredly. The two masked villains reluctantly receded, but that did not stop them from glaring at each other. Once they were properly seated, static flared from the old television and the voice of Sensei spoke to address them.

**"The previous operation was a failure, but there's no reason for you to be disheartened Tomura."** Sensei's voice consoled the still-fuming villain from the static void. **"We were simply too optimistic about All-Might's weakened condition, and never would be expect the students of U.A to have such a high battle potential. But you have to keep on going Tomura, and you as well Shepherd, for sooner or later you two will succeed as symbols of terror to the world. As long as we, the League of Villains are alive, there will be ample chances to take down the symbol of peace."**

"Next time, I'll kill All-Might next time." Shigaraki kept repeating that to himself, while a chuckle escaped Sensei from the screen. "I won't let you down Sensei."

**"That's the spirit Tomura, now to the main topic of why I have gathered you all for today…"**

**"As everyone here knows, the League is now experiencing a shortage of fighting strength and manpower. As of today, there are two agenda's we have to fulfil before the commencement of the League's next operation: The first is fighting strength. Heroes have been cracking down on Kamino Ward and the surrounding areas much more frequently these few days, and surveillance have been increasing to a rather annoying degree. While we are still hidden from the public eye, bolstering our own forces should be the first priority."**

"There's lesser goons to attract now that they heard what happened to those who participated in the USJ raid, not only are they scared of arrest…" Shigaraki complained.

"…they are just in for the money." Shepherd answered the rest of his fellow villain's sentence with a low growl.

**"That's correct,"** replied Sensei. **"The heroes have taken cautious measures around U.A after our assault on the USJ, so they using their resources to make sure that the students in the school will not come under another attack. The heroes are on their guard now, especially with the annual U.A Sports Festival coming up."**

Shepherd tilted his head. "U.A Sports Festival?"

"It's nothing for you to be concerned about," Kurogiri told him. "It's another one of the heroes' extravagant display of the hero student's power. It's a big annual event for both heroes and citizens alike quite similar to the Olympics."

**"While the heroes are still recovering and trying to appease the public of their capability to handle villain attacks, the eyes of the government and Pro-Heroes will be averted from the League for just a moment, giving us a chance to source out potential recruits who share similar values and be soldiers for our cause in the long run."**

"I think I know who might fit the bill," Shigaraki smiled darkly. "There are reports of heroes being attacked – even being killed by a villain other than the brat Shepherd. Those heroes killed are nothing much to talk about, but the killer somehow singled them out and taking them down one after the other like some sort of assassin. The media has been calling this guy the 'Hero Killer'."

**"Well done Tomura, I shall look forward to how you can persuade such an individual to join the league. However, while we are on the topic on the media, there is a rather troubling matter…"** Sensei intoned. **"It appears that Shepherd has made himself quite famous out there."**

"…what?" Shepherd frowned. "What do you mean-"

**"The heroes have footage of your battle with Muscular,"** Sensei told the white-haired boy much to the latter's shock and dismay. **"You can never be too careful when finishing off your opponents, Shepherd. The video apparently had your face after your mask was damaged in the fight. Your face has been placed in the wanted list as a S-rank villain. Besides that, you are aware that some of the students saw your face as well during the USJ raid, aren't you?"**

Shepherd froze. To have his face revealed to the public just like that…he could only gnash his teeth angrily while Shigaraki snickered in the corner. His movement outside the League would no doubt be limited as well…

"Jeez, what a pain it must be." Shigaraki sneered. "Maybe you should think carefully before fighting like a lunatic next time brat."

"Don't push it man-child. Sensei, please be assured that I can find a someone-" Shepherd was silenced by a light chuckle coming from the screen.

**"No, I have another assignment for you Shepherd, and it's regarding the second agenda for today; Noumu creation."** Shepherd gulped a little nervously as he heard that word. Noumus are usually associated with that pot-belly doctor Daruma; Shepherd's least favorite person in the League. **"…it happens to involve one of my close associates who is a major supporter of the League. His name is Zuruchi Gekai, who has been generous enough to be one of our main sponsors to fund the League's activities. He runs a small hospital on the outskirts of Musutafu to help the less fortunate, but that's just a façade to fool the public. He has been helping with the Noumu production by providing us with terminally-ill patients and corpses to be used as materials for the Noumus. The Noumu experiments would have never made it so far without his cooperation."**

"…So, what's the problem?"

**"He has gone silent for the past few weeks, and the human supply chain for the Noumu creation has been reduced drastically. There is a chance that he plans to insubordinate me, but I have no means to check given my current condition. If he's planning something, and if they attract the heroes' attention, the Noumu production source will be revealed, which we can't allow. You are to go to the hospital and see what is happening. If they are indeed trying to insubordinate me…you are to dispatch them."**

"Understood. How much time am I given?"

**"Take your time, but do not reveal your face to the public eye under any circumstances. Kurogiri will transfer you to the location directly once you are ready."**

"…Understood, Sensei…"

"Sensei, why are you handling such an important task to the brat?" Shigaraki tilted his head in a mocking manner while he scratched the base of his neck. "You sure he won't go on another breakdown and cry like a gir-!"

He immediately cut himself off when Shepherd snapped his head towards him, the look in his eyes silencing him. "tch, nevermind."

"…Please rest assured…I won't let you down Sensei…"

**"I have great expectations out of you, Shepherd." **Sensei replied with a slightly amused tone that confused the white-haired youth. **"Do not disappoint me again."**

.

**=[Unknown Hospital]=**

In a dimly lit interior of what looked to be an abandoned hospital, a malicious plan was being concocted prior to Shepherd's arrival.

"The client has been scheduled to arrive here some time tomorrow," A large man bearing the face of a hyena and metal cuffs around his muscular arms growled, stepping up to a tall figure sitting leisurely on the chair placed in the center of the room. "He demands specifically that the goods remained undamaged; he expects the bodies to be in the best condition, he says."

A wicked, amused smirk laced the lips of the one occupying the main seat. He rose to his feet, and made his way to a gravely bruised man wheezing with painful coughs by the former's feet. "You hear that boys? Looks like we did hit an unexpected goldmine this time. I have to say…thank you for being such a cooperative business partner, Mr Zuruichi."

The incredibly tall ringleader who spoke had short black hair slicked back, and thick glasses perched on his thick nose. His wicked smile was still etched on his face, and dark eyes gazed at the fallen man evilly. His neat and crisp business suit stood out against the old building as he walked right in front of his captive, with three other figures looming behind him like guards.

"F-Fuck you! Crazy bastard…you are trespassing on the League of Villain's property…!" Zuruichi Gekai spat out, blood dribbling from a split lip and a broken nose. The previous interrogation had left him barely hanging on to his life. "You brats have no idea who you're messing with…!"

"Hah! Looks like the old coot hasn't had enough! Maybe you should have Scourge handled the questioning, Jackal-sama." A young boy wearing a black school uniform, with pterodactyl wings protruding from his back guffawed loudly as he gestured to the hulking hyena-man, also known by the name Scourge. He wore a black school uniform and a mask depicting a vulture. "Or maybe that will be too much of an overkill? How about I give him a little more roughing up huh?"

"Ugh…don't you ever shut up?" Another member of the villain group, a boy wearing a black gakuran schoold uniform combined with a green gas mask which completely hid his face groaned in annoyance. "You never even do anything, so don't act like a disgusting blowhard, Torishima."

"It's Vulture now!" the winged youth Torishima snapped at his companion. "Don't you think you should respect your seniors more Mustard?! You may be in this group longer than me, but I'm still older than you!"

"There's nothing to respect about a guy who got expelled from bullying a quirkless kid." The young villain called Mustard replied condescendingly. "Pathetic."

"Why you-!"

"That won't be necessary Vulture," The man in charge chuckled back to his young underling before a fight could break out. "I believe his body can still be of use to us, since we got all the information we needed out of him. "Siren, I say its time to put the old man to sleep."

"…Yes brother."

A short petite girl stepped out of the shadow, revealing herself to be the fifth and final member of the group. She had purple, wavy hair which reached down to the base of her neck, with teal-colored eyes gazing at Doctor Zuruichi without emotion. A black cardigan was worn over a pale-violet hoodie and a short skirt. In her hands, twirled an ornately-carved wooden transverse flute.

"Do it," Wordlessly, the girl promptly placed the instrument to her lips while the rest of the villain group plugged their ears.

The bruised owner of the hospital panted heavily, and stared at the mysterious girl with sharp, questioning eyes, "Wha…what are you guys trying to pull?"

"I'm truly sorry that such a beautiful business partnership has come to an end," replied Jackal. "...but I'm afraid that there's no reason to keep you alive anymore. A shame, really."

"**Psycho Flute: Slumbering Performance**"

A haunting melody of a flute began to play, the chilling tune creeping into the ears of the screaming man. Quickly, the former director's eyes drooped as he felt his mind started to become dazed. He soon fell to the ground, never to move again.

"Now then…" The leader ordered the hulking hyena-man called Scourge while the girl called Siren pulled the instrument away from her lips. "Take him to the basement and throw him with the rest of the patients. Selling an old man as a human guinea pig will at least bring us a bit more cash."

The moment their captive was placed under the effects of the girl's quirk and led away by the [Hyena] quirk villain to his holding cell, the boy called Mustard spoke, "Jackal-sama, won't the heroes notice that something is wrong when an entire group of patients were to go missing from this hospital?"

"No, they won't even feel a single thing," the leader Jackal smirked. "This place is known for treating patients from low-income families with long-termed or incurable illnesses. This hospital has a suspicious high mortality rate, but I never would have guessed the director himself was transporting bodies to the League of Villains. I say it's about time we put them to better use."

"What are you planning to do with them?"

"Sell them of course. Rumors have it that the Yakuza have been experimenting with drugs that can temporary hinder or enhance an individual's quirk factor. There's no way to contact them directly, but there are subordinate groups working directly under them whom we can reach out to. The progress of such experiments is unclear, but we can assume that they are in the need of test subjects – a lot of them. And we happen to be in a place where we can sell tons of them."

"You think the League will come after us? What should we do if they decided to kill us for barging into one of their strongholds?" Mustard asked, his expression unreadable thanks to his gas mask.

"The League of Villains is nothing but a bunch of disorganized rabble now, a joke compared to the old days before All-Might destroyed most of the organization," Jackal answered simply, turning around to a bunch of security screens showing many young dazed patients sitting obediently in holding cells. "As long as we have Siren with us, there is no need to fear anyone. Be it the heroes, the villains…or even the great and mighty All-Might himself."

"Hehe~! As expected of Jackal-sama~!" The winged thug Torishima, villain named Vulture, giggled maliciously.

"The big wigs can fight for all we care up there, while the small fries like us can move unnoticed in the shadows." Jackal smirked. "In the end, we of 'Scavenge' shall be the ones who seize the benefits."

.

**=[To be continued]=**

_"I don't want the pain to return...It's painful! It hurts! I don't want this horrible sensation to come back! Pain is for weaklings! I must not be weak! _

_I have to become stronger...become even stronger if I do not wish for the pain to return...I have to make Sensei proud...I have to."_

_._

_Next Time: __Infiltration_

_._

A/N: Write a review on what you think! :)


	6. Inflitration

A/N: A shout out to to reviews!

phelipebr: Thanks for the comment, Bakugo will definitely be quite horrified.

CREED6: You'll just have to wait and see!

Raven Mordrake: I'm not planning to make big changes to the canon, but while the heroes are training, Shepherd will be having his own adventures.

Donovan2771: That's actually the plan, the two of them were never supposed to like each other because of their different views of killing people.

Betacode79: Thanks for that comment, I figured the usual fic is too repetitive as well, and villains are more fun to write for me.

King0fpowers: Glad to see someone who knows my reference and welcome to the story! I'm trying not to make it so M-rated in the later chapters.

Now, onwards!

.

.

**Chapter 6: Inflitration.**

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**=[Musutafu Outskirts, Washiki District, Gekai Private Hospital]=**

Shepherd had mixed feelings about his current situation…about his current assignment.

He was relieved that Sensei had given him a task…but he just couldn't help but be annoyed by the fact Shigaraki was placed in charge of increasing the League of Villain's fighting force. Sure, he loved getting into fights and all, but he was confident in his own ability of sourcing potential villain candidates.

"…I bet that man-child is enjoying this right now…" Shepherd mentally grumbled as he walked through Kurogiri's [Warp Gate] and arrived at his destination; a deserted street and slums with a three-storey hospital at the far end of the area.

"…This is the place, right?" Shepherd questioned, adjusting his repaired canine-mask and taking in his new surroundings in the rapidly-setting sun. "A hospital?"

"Gekai Private Hospital. A medical facility which was bought and taken over by Zuruichi Gekai, one of Sensei's old friends." Kurogiri told him, a misty hand pointing towards the old signboard hanging loosely by the medical facility's entrance. "Would you be alright doing this by yourself?"

"…Yeah, so go on back and help out Shigaraki." The boy waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "…Unlike me, that man-child needs assistance for everything he's tasked to do. But I may be wrong…he was chosen by Sensei to handle recruitment after all."

"Please don't say that, Shepherd." The [Warp Gate] quirk user shook his head. "We just thought that if we want to temporary bolster the strength of our organization, having Shigaraki take charge would be less time-consuming. After all, your standards are a little…_extreme_, after what has happened when you tried to recruit Muscular. I'm sure Sensei has given your respective tasks with your interests in mind."

In response, the [Toxic Sludge] villain snorted. "That guy was annoying…and he pissed me off." Shepherd scowled. "The guy was a danger to both friends and foes alike. There's no need for such a psychopath to join our cause."

"Standards like that, and the League won't be getting new members." Kurogiri quipped seriously. "Not everyone has the same goal, but getting along with fellow villains is still what made up the League in the first place. We need people, we need the cooperation of others, even if means giving into their demands a little. There is very little we could do alone, given our small numbers."

"…alright I get it…let's get this mission over with…"

The job was simple. Sensei had instructed him to investigate, and possibly eliminate one of the League's long-time supporters; the director and owner of the private hospital Zuruichi Gekai. It was not only due to the mysterious silence of Gekai, but also the halting of bodies transported to the League for that crazy doctor Daruma's Noumu experiments. Furthermore, people around the hospital have been reported missing and never to be seen again. Sensei had felt suspicious, and tasked Shepherd to deal with the possible defectors before the Pro-heroes could catch wind of the Noumu supply chain, meaning to say slaughter all eye-witnesses. Shepherd would definitely take pleasure in tearing apart those who dared opposed the League.

After a while, the two of them reached the run-down hospital. To be frank, it looked rather ominous in the setting sun, but Shepherd didn't care.

"…Since you're here and all, can't you use your [Warp Gate] to check what's inside the building?" Shepherd asked. "…It would be much easier for me if I knew where the director is hiding."

Kurogiri immediately answered, "My apologies, but my quirk only works when I can envision the exact location and coordinates of where I want to go. It won't activate when I am in a location which I'm not familiar with, and it's even more difficult if there are narrow spaces. So…are you prepared Shepherd? It may be a trap."

"…Sensei gave me orders to deal with betrayers…I will follow those orders," Shepherd said without a trace of hesitation, "…if the director does have plans to betray the League, he will be slaughtered. Anyone who plans to fight will be eradicated, no questions asked."

"I see…But be sure to remain calm…and try not to let your emotions get the better of you." Kurogiri couldn't decide if he respected or pitied Shepherd's sense of loyalty. He was willing to carry out All for One's orders no matter what, to the point of being rather scary. If Shigaraki resembled a pampered child with a malevolent tendency to lash out if things don't go his way, then Shepherd was like a child who was desperate to please his parental figure with suicidal devotion. He couldn't help…but feel sad for him. There wasn't anything else that drove him to live.

Devilish jet-black brick hammers made from sludge erupted from his arms. Shepherd raised his arm and swung the black hammer, shattering the two glass doors of the hospital entrance into smithereens and the sound of breaking glass resounded across the entire building.

"Contact us once you're done Shepherd," Kurogiri stated while he began to warp away. "I'll wish you the best of luck."

"…Luck? That's funny." Shepherd sneered ferociously at that. "…Only the weak relies on something like that."

.

**=[Yuuei. Faculty Break room]=**

Midoriya had never felt so horrible, or this relieved in his entire life. It was funny how those two opposing emotions could mix but it caused him to be in an extreme state of turmoil.

For one…his friend, the one who stood up to Kacchan, Hakazuka Kotaro, was alive. On the other hand, he was together with the League of Villains, acting like a completely different person, and having no qualms about harming him or his classmates. That…that can't possibly be him…that was what Midoriya hoped before recalling the last few moments of their encounter.

In that briefest moment, he could see in in those eyes. He had seen his face, even though he could only remember glimpses after all those months. In those eyes, weren't the madness of a murderer…it was scared…it was confusion by what was happening around him, as though he had just woken up from a nightmare. The final nail in the coffin was the way the 'villain' had said Midoriya's name.

It was as though those words were spoken out of fear…like his was on the verge of disappearing.

The mere thought of that deepened Midoriya's depression as he hobbled his way down U.A's hallways. Both of his arms were in casts, and a huge portion of his chest was bandaged up. Of course, almost everyone had horrible injuries from the USJ incident, burdened with the thoughts of their utter defeat.

He had many thoughts racing through his mind, but now he was wondering why he was called to the staff room. Was he going to get a scolding for engaging the villain so recklessly?

But his confusion and questions only increased when he saw Bakugo standing outside, glaring at the staffroom door with angry red eyes. He was in the worst of moods ever since the attack on the USJ, which everyone assumed was because he could not defeat the villain. But Midoriya had a sinking feeling that it was more than that, and the greenette's hands clenched tightly as the horrible memories started flooding in from his junior high school days.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening, All-Might's muscular face poking out and beckoned both he and Bakugo into the room.

He was smiling like always, but something about today seems forced.

"Thank you for coming here on such a short notice despite your recovering injuries, especially young Midoriya. Would you like some tea?" The number 1 hero asked jovially, but his tone was slightly strained as he gestured to the steaming flask prepared on the table.

Bakugo grunted a little, which All-Might took as a yes, while Midoriya politely accepted his offer, thinking that tea might be a way to calm his taut nerves.

"How are you two coping after the attack? Is there anything bothering you?" All-Might began, pouring his own cup of tea.

Bakugo answered first; scoffing "Yeah, completely fine."

Midoriya stared at his untouched drink, not wanting to make eye contact with his mentor. "I think I'm fine." He answered in a small voice.

"…I see." All-Might sighed, his tone was sympathetic as he responded. "Aizawa is looking to arrange a few counselling sessions with Midnight after everyone returns next week. I know its difficult, but we are trying everything we can to get you back on shape before the U.A Sports Festival-"

Midoriya's lips trembled. Should he tell him what happened…?

"You didn't call us here just for that, did you?" Bakugo interrupted, his voice turned a tad harsher as he slammed the table. "Why me and shitty nerd? If you want to ask how's everyone doing, you should have invited Round-face who completely alright in the fight. What gives?!"

"…"

"…you're right, young Bakugo. I invited you two today because there's something about the USJ which may concern just you two," All-Might sighed, taking out a stack of documents from a file Midoriya and Bakugo could clearly recognized has the Musutafu Police's crest on it, making their faces pale slightly. "…so, listen carefully."

Midoriya's fingernails bit into his palms.

"Both of you were among those who faced the white-haired boy who was with the USJ villains; the one with the dog-mask." All-Might began, and Midoriya almost flinched at the mention. He never thought All-Might would be the one starting this topic, just how much did they managed to uncover?!

"Yeah, the crazy one who went psycho days ago," Bakugo muttered, scowling deeply at that memory.

All-Might chose to ignore that part, continuing from where he had left off. "Facial recognitions and blood cross-examination from the scene showed that the villain is in fact, someone who used to live in Musutafu, a student…someone who was declared dead 6 months ago even though his body was never found. The boy's name was…Hakazuka Kotaro, a third year student from Aldera Junior High – the school both of you were enrolled in."

Midoriya's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief, his mouth agape, and his lips trembling. "…live…h-he's…alive?" his voice cracked. "So it was true…?!"

On the other hand, Bakugo's face was ghost-white as his mouth tried to repeat that name. "…Hakazuka? That quirkless guy…?" he whispered.

"I want to ask you what you saw. Back then, I was fighting the one they call Noumu with two other villains, so I didn't see everything that happened. Towards the end, the villains became disorganized because the villain they called Shepherd appeared to have some sort of mental breakdown and screamed." All-Might explained. "I have to know what happened."

Bakugo looked towards Midoriya with suspicion in his eyes; the latter was the only one left fighting Shepherd while Bakugo was making his way to help All-Might, so he was rather curious about what Izuku did to make the villain scream like that.

"He was about to kill me," Midoriya spoke softly, but his shoulders shook like he wanted to scream out those words instead. "…but he stopped for some reason, before he…he said my name…" Midoriya was dangerously close to crying, and his sentences were slurred due to the tears.

"What do you mean?" All-Might asked with a stiff tone, as though he was trying to reconfirm his worst fears. "…he knew who you were beforehand and tried to harm you?"

"He was going to finish me off with his quirk, but he stopped short…like he _remembered_ something." Midoriya explained. "…it was soft, but he called my name…that was when I realized the villain was in fact…Hakazuka-kun."

He shuddered seeing the look in those glowering, mad eyes of Hakazuka at that time, "…I tried to call out his name, but that caused him to somehow lose control of his quirk and ended up screaming in pain."

"That…that villain we fought…it was…Hakazuku-kun…he's still alive…!" Midoriya choked out, his hands balled into fists.

Bakugo was silent and his normally blazing eyes were narrowed as he began to remember the boy from Aldera Junior High. "That…that dweeb is dead! There's no way-!"

"It was him, Kacchan!" Midoriya yelled angrily at his childhood friend, causing the ash-blonde teen and All-Might to recoil from Izuku's unexpected act of rage. "I saw him stopped at the last second! His mask was broken! I saw his face! I can recognize my own classmate for goodness sake!"

"Cut the crap!" Bakugo retorted angrily. "Hakazuka was a quirkless coward who can't even stand up to anyone. Are you trying to say that the psychopath villain we fought was him?!"

"Listen to me! I know more about him than you ever will!" Midoriya jabbed an angry finger towards Bakugo. "He's aged…but his face…his voice…he even said 'Midoriya-kun'! How do you explain that!?"

"SHUT UP YOU SHITTY NERD!" Bakugo's voice was slightly frantic as he faced Midoriya's venomous glare with an equally dangerous look of his own. "There's no way someone as harmless as Hakazuka could become that crazy! And how could he possibly have a quirk?! "

He shuddered just remembering how Shepherd acted towards them; they nearly got killed by pissing him off. Bakugo himself was staring towards the ground and shaking slightly, his expression unreadable.

All-Might's eyes softened. "…I know this may be a painful topic between the two of you," The number 1 hero massaged his temples and sighed. "But if what we feared is indeed true…we have to know everything which has happened prior to his supposed 'death'…"

"All-Might…could it be that you already knew about this before the USJ attack?" Midoriya asked in disbelief. "Just how much do you know? What did the villains do to him?!"

All-Might closed his eyes. "…I don't know. If you want my honest words as the number 1 hero, I have NO idea how to explain how he turned out this way." He said, gazing hardly into Midoriya's and Bakugo's eyes. "If you have seen what me and the others have seen him do…" If the way All-might gripped his arms showed any indication, it was clear what he had seen…had horrified him to the core. "You would be questioning if he was someone beyond saving…"

"W-what…did he do?" Midoriya asked, albeit fearfully.

All-Might fell silent.

"Well?! What did that crazy guy do!?" Bakugo demanded.

However, they would soon regret what they asked.

"…The kid known as Shepherd killed an A-rank villain, Muscular." He finally answered. "No…it's more accurate to say that he RAVAGED him."

"…" The room fell into silence. The news was that deafening for Midoriya and shocking for Bakugo. None of them were able to respond for several moments. It was only until Izuku chose to stir up the tense atmosphere with a single word. "…h-he…killed?"

"His acts of cruelty have been captured on camera." All-Might answered. "Before the USJ, he has been on the police's radar for several weeks after he killed no less than 5 Pro-Heroes and their sidekicks. A few days ago, a team of heroes were sent to trail the A-rank villain Muscular, who has fled to Kamino Ward for some reason and made some trouble. The League was rumoured to have caught wind of this and sent in their newest member, the Hellhound; a.k.a Shepherd."

Bakugo recalled the monstrous appearance of the white-haired boy he fought. "Hellhound?"

"That's right," All-Might nodded. "It was not something we could call a fight anymore; it was a slaughter fest. What few eye-witnesses reports stated it was like a scene from the depths of hell. Bodies were torn apart, blood splattering everywhere, and people screaming while their bodies were ravaged by deadly toxins…and Shepherd was in the middle of it all. He is suspected to have gone through the same procedure as that monster called a Noumu; a dangerous being with both a poisonous sludge quirk and a super-regeneration quirk, and that combination is enough to make him an extremely deadly individual."

Midoriya could not believe what he was hearing. No…it was like he refused to believe it. There was no way that shy but kind Hakazuka would become such a deranged monster took takes lives on a whim. But that thought struck down when he remembered what happened back in the USJ.

"…he's not the same person you once knew, young Midoriya…" All-Might spoke. The green-haired boy was about to say something back, but Yagi's raised hand paused him for a moment. "…but make no mistake, we will SAVE him. Principal Nezu and a few others are working on a solution to get that child out of the League's grasp."

All-Might allowed the two boys to process all of this, before continuing.

"This is a very delicate situation, and I'm going to have to talk to both of you more regarding young Hakazuka before his…_disappearance_. We have to know everything and anything about how he ended up in the League's hands," All-Might said finally. "He…he isn't there willingly, we sincerely hoped. In fact-" All-Might stopped speaking very abruptly, like he'd been about to let some crucial information slip.

Bakugo caught on to this as well. "What? What do you think happened to that quirkless dweeb?" He sounded angry, almost frightened, and Midoriya could have sworn he heard the sound of teeth grinding together.

All-Might paused, looking conflicted like he was considering what to tell them. Then he sighed, sounding too exhausted, too weary to go on. "I can't tell you…at least not now. There are still too many things we do not know, and it's also highly classified. If there's nothing else you wish to tell me, then you are free to go…oh young Midoriya, there's something else I have to say to you." It was a clear dismissal for Bakugo, and he silently stood up, making his way to the door.

"…so, you have nothing to say for yourself?" Izuku suddenly whispered.

"What was that, Deku?!" his head whirled around, Bakugo's face was red with frustration as Midoriya glared at him. "Try saying that one more time-"

"You're the one who made him like this…!" shouted Mdioriya, all traces of his initial fear gone and replaced by a look of anger, his eyes looking at Bakugo like he was a villain himself. "We…no, you especially…YOU WERE THE ONE WHO CAUSED HIM TO SUFFER LIKE THIS! Or have you forgotten his face because you don't bother to remember a quirkless nobody like him?!"

What the hell was the shitty nerd saying?! What was he trying to pull by saying all of this in front of All-Might himself?! Has he lost it?!

"Shut up…" said a trembling Bakugo, "SHUT UP DEKU!" he yelled and stomped towards Midoriya, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him roughly. "Since when did I ever forced him to commit suicide…since when did I forced him into a corner…HE WAS WEAK! HE WAS SHY AND QUIET! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS BULLIED UNTIL THE DAY HE WAS GONE! HE DIDN'T SAY A GODDAMN THING!"

"YOU ARE THE REASON HAKAZUKA KILLED HIMSELF! YOU KNEW THOSE TWO WERE HARASSING HIM AND YOU DID NOT DO A SINGLE THING TO STOP THEM! AND WHY? BECAUSE YOU DID NOT CARE ABOUT ANYONE BESIDE YOURSELF KACCHAN!" Midoriya had tears rolling down his cheeks, not of sadness, but of pure anger. Why wasn't he admitting it…? Why doesn't Bakugo admit he was in the wrong after seeing what their classmate had become? The truth of their ex-classmate was being unravelled in the form of a living nightmare and he still denies it?! "You're right that you weren't involved in most of his bullying…but your words were the killing blow…YOU KILLED SOMEONE!"

"YOU DARE-?! THAT GUY WAS THE ONE WHO MADE THE CHOICE!" shouted Bakugo, with enough force to make Midoriya flinched. "WE ALWAYS HAD A CHOICE! AND THAT GUY WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO JOIN THE VILLAINS!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" All-Might shouted with intensity that caused the two boys to shut it immediately, the number 1 hero's stare making them break off the fight. "Young Bakugo…we'll continue this on another date, so please rest up…both of you, please calm down."

With that, Bakugo proceeded to leave the staff room with an angry huff.

"Rest well, young Bakugo." All-Might told one last thing to Bakugo. "Try not to let any of this affect you...I'll talk to you again at another day."

Bakugo was glaring at the ground, and he didn't look back.

With the explosive teen out of the room, All-Might heaved a sigh of relief and turned his attention to the now distraught Midoriya. "Young Midoriya…don't fret. Those who are aware of Shepherd's true identity are doing all we can to save him. The League may have done something to alter his memories…or even brainwash him to some extent, but I believe that as long we can contain him away from his captives, we can bring your friend back. So, you have to concentrate on the upcoming Sports Festival for now-"

"How could I concentrate…after what you just told me?!" The boy gritted his teeth in frustration.

"You have to get stronger young Midoriya, for both young Hakazuka and yourself," All-Might stated seriously, gazing at his protégé's injuries. "As it stands, you still can't adjust One for All. You have survived your encounter with the villains this time, but we have to be prepared for the upcoming battles, and the Sports Festival is the perfect opportunity to hone your control over One for All."

"It's the first time I actually tried using my power on villains…on _him_…" Midoriya said bitterly. "…and I almost got killed in the process."

"You are alive now…use that chance to get stronger," All-Might elaborated sternly. "To be honest, my time as the Symbol of Peace is running low…and the villains would have caught wind of it by now. What matter now is how you progress from here…how you overcome your failures and emerge even stronger, strong enough to take my place. And besides, you wish to save your friend, don't you?"

A determined nod was all All-Might needed.

"That's the way, my boy." All-Might grinned. "Let's get you started on your training, for it's time for you to tell the world…'I am here'."

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital, Third level.]=**

"We have an intruder on the premises." Jackal muttered as he scanned the security cameras, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "And a rude one at that."

"Hehehe, more prey?" The [Hyena] quirk martial artist, Scourge, licked his lips hungrily as he came over to observe the current situation. "Great timing…I was getting hungry."

"My god, your eating habits are still as sick and revolting as ever, Scourge." Mustard said, as he averted his face away from the bloodstained [Hyena] quirk user. The young boy was thankful for his gas mask, sparing him the putrid stench of his fellow companion's breath.

"You better not eat more than two this time, you damn cannibal." Jackal said, his eyes not leaving the security screens and their sole intruder for one second. "It's a wonder how I could stand you eating our merchandise like that. Just don't dirty the floor too much; I can't stand to see our dearest prisoners dying from an unhygienic environment just yet."

"Hahaha! I licked them clean and swallowed every single part of them, including their tears as they begged me!" Scourge said, as he licked his chops and displayed his bloody fangs.

"Good, at least you can clean up your messes…" Jackal said, turning to the three men in the group. "Mustard, haven't you deployed your gas? Tell us the state of the intruder."

"I already have…but-how is this possible?" Mustard muttered; his tone was rather surprised as he confirmed with the security cameras. "I can sense him moving through the gas, and he's walking through the first floor past the reception area."

"Why is that so surprising?" Scourge asked with glee, excited of the prospect of having a new snack to eat. "We'll kill him once you knocked him out with your sleeping gas whatsoever, and I'll eat him like a juicy little morsel…"

"That's the issue you dolt." Mustard snapped. "My sleeping gas is supposed to knock him out in seconds, but he's still waltzing through like he doesn't give a shit! Is it because of the mask he's wearing? Or does he have some kind of quirk which neutralized my gas?"

"In any case, the enemy is only one. We'll deal with him like the others and add him to our merchandise, or kill him if we have to." Jackal concluded and began to instruct his men. "Mustard, recall your gas; it appears your quirk's not going to work on the opponent this time. Scourge, go with Vulture and greet our little 'guest', and bring him to me."

"I don't think this guy's a hero…he's too rough to be one." Mustard deduced. "Could this guy be an agent sent from the League of Villains? The previous owner of this place did warn us that we were trespassing on their territory."

"There's nothing to worry about," Jackal reasoned calmly. "If things get hairy, I'll just have Siren stand by the basement."

"Heh, looks like you're completely useless this time huh?" Vulture; a.k.a Torishima sneered as he extended his red wings in full display and rose to the air. "Just leave this to me Jackal-sama, I'll bring down that idiot who dares intrude on our base."

"Stop blabbering and let's go." Scourge growled at the overzealous teen and made his way down to the hospital's first floor. "Let's just get this over with and eat-I meant kill this guy."

"Yeah yeah, I got it…geez." Even though he was a newbie, Torishima knew better then to cross the muscle of the group, especially when he's hungry. With that, the two of them left the room and made their way towards the intruder, leaving only the leader Jackal and [Gas] quirk user Mustard in the room.

Jackal continued to frown as he surveyed the white-haired individual through the cameras, taking note of his peculiar attire. "White hair…black clothes…dog mask…? Could this guy be-?"

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital, First level]=**

The interior of the old and desolate hospital was more spacious than Shepherd thought from its exterior. Dust coated the furniture and cockroaches could be seen scurrying everywhere, making it obvious that the building had not been taken care of for least a few weeks. Shepherd could also make out several bloodstains on the walls, and a cold wind was blowing into the building, scattering the many rubbish lying on the floor.

He was rather surprised when a blast of purplish gas enveloped the entire room for a moment, only to find out that he was unaffected by it. He did not know why, nor did he wish to know why, only knowing for a fact that it's probably someone's quirk.

The gas stayed for a while before it seemed to retreat back into the inner parts of the old hospital, prompting the [Toxic Sludge] to follow it into the dark corridors in the deeper parts of the first floor.

"…don't know what that gas was…but recalling it now just gives away your location…idiot…"

Shepherd stood still for a moment, and…the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard from the upper levels of the building, making Shepherd smile a little. Well…at least the targets are here.

"Making myself a threat would work…" Shepherd thought, morphing the sludge around his right arm into a dark devilish barrel, locked and loaded. "…**Schwarz Hagel **(Black Hail)."

The sludge bullets rained fire and blew apart the place, causing the two figures who were just about to rush into the room to yelp in surprise and ducked low. Debris and broken parts of the wall flew across the air as Shepherd stepped forward, noticing two very surprised figures in the dust cloud.

Then the dust settled and Shepherd could finally see them; a huge hulking man with features of a hyena wearing a dark-brown jacket, and a young teen with red wings protruding from his back and wore a metal mask resembling a beak of a vulture.

"Is this the guy?" the [Hyena] quirk man spoke, his bestial eyes flashing with annoyance, "That's quite the nasty quirk you have there buddy boy, who the hell are you?"

"Whatever, we'll take care of him like the rest of them!" The vulture-masked boy with wings yelled. "We'll show him the might of our group!"

"…I don't recall Sensei saying that the owner of this hospital had subordinates like you…" Shepherd observed, black sludge oozing out from his arms in copious amounts. "…I'll cut to the chase to save the hassle…where is Director Zuruichi Gekai?"

"Hmm? Were you related to that old coot who owned this place?" The large animal-hybrid man asked, as a wicked grin spread across his face. "Well…sorry to disappoint you, because I just had to eat him. With that being said…" Scourge unsheathed his claws and crackled his knuckles. "Let's see how you taste like!"

"…I see, you killed him? That's unexpected…" Shepherd muttered, slowly morphing the sludge around his arms into twin lances. "…at least I know you guys aren't part of the League of Villains…" Shepherd suddenly shot forward, slashing the space in front of him with his black armaments. "…so I'll kill you."

"Now you're talking!" Scourge yelled, as he retreated backwards and got into a fighting stance. "You definitely look more interesting than the usual prey who wander in here. You'll definitely worth eating!" Scourge reared back and prepared to slam Shepherd down with an overhead hammer punch. But Shepherd morphed his sludge into a spiked whip and prepared to slash the opponent in half with one swing before Scourge could even attack. But Scourge bent his back, and to Shepherd's astonishment, dodged the sludge weapon's swing at an impossible angle.

"Oh ho! Your reflexes aren't bad! But don't you dare underestimate the nimbleness of my body!" Scourge grinned maniacally as he lunged forward and delivered a series of clawed slashes that forced Shepherd to go on the defensive.

The white-haired boy was about to morph the sludge into another weapon, only to hear the sound of a bullet firing, and a burning sensation zipped past his cheek. He scowled as he recalled there was another annoying fly in the room, giving a side glare to the winged boy who had a pistol in his hands, the barrel aiming for his head. "Tch…missed."

"…Disgusting little rat…!"

"Oi oi oi! Don't get distracted in the middle of the fight!" Shepherd's eyes shot open when Scourge's ugly mug entered his field of vision with a clawed arm bulging with muscles poised to slash Shepherd's face.

"…tch-!" Shepherd clicked his tongue, ducking underneath the massive arm. However, Shepherd was shocked to see a knee kicking towards his head. "…this hyena bastard…!" Shifting his body backwards, Shepherd barely avoided the devastating knee kick; the sheer force of the impact slicing the skin off the [Toxic Sludge] quirk user's torso. As Shepherd continued to dodge Scourge's punches and kicks, he was also annoyed by how the partner of the latter was hovering at a safe distance, taking aim at Shepherd with the pistol in his hand. "…Annoying little fly…! I have to get rid of the hyena freak first…!" Shepherd used his sludge to continuously offset the martial artist's impactful blows, and tried to morph the sludge into a sledgehammer, aiming towards Scourge's unguarded legs. However, Scourge kicked his leg out instead, the powerful kick was strong enough to splatter the sludge creation apart and found its mark in Shepherd's abdomen, making him cough out and knocked back into a wall.

Shepherd tried to stand back up, but a few skillful shots from Vulture caused his feet to buckle and crash back to the ground. "Hehehe! I don't think so pal!"

"It's been fun kid." Scourge gave an evil smirk, lifting Shepherd up by his throat and raised his limp body high into the air with his right arm. "But it's time to put an end to your little 'intrusion'. It's snack time…huh?"

The [Hyena] quirk villain was nearby about his sink his teeth into Shepherd's neck. But Vulture ad Scourge were both surprised when they saw that the wounds and bruises inflicted onto the intruder were beginning to heal and rapidly recovered.

_"Regeneration? Is that why he took those punches so easily!?" _Scourge thought, grabbing Shepherd by the neck with both hands this time and strangled him. "I must say you surprised me kid, having two quirks in one person isn't something you see every day. You may heal fast, but it doesn't matter…" Scourge smirked as he watched Shepherd gasped for air. "I don't think your regeneration can save you if I gouge out your heart or rip that head off your shoulders clean right? It would be so easily to kill you now."

"Oi Scourge," Torishima asked. "Wouldn't Jackal-sama want to interrogate this guy? Don't kill him just yet."

"Shut it newbie, don't tell me what to do." Scourge snapped back to Vulture. "It's been so long ever since I found some decent prey besides those crying patients. I've been holding back so much…eating those unresistant bodies without much of a fight, it's too boring! With this guy…I can…I can finally feast-!"

"…you're quite the fun guy…but you talk too much…" Hands gripped Scourge's arms tightly and made the [Hyena] quirk villain widen his eyes in shock as Shepherd glared at him, his purple eyes dancing with a malevolent light. The muscular villain's eyes shot fully open as black sludge gushed out from Shepherd like a surging torrent, creeping onto Scourge's arms and soon his entire body. He did not have time to scream as the black liquid metal worked its way into his mouth and poured inside. "…looks like you're the one who's going to be eaten…from the inside out, that is." The voice of Shepherd stated with a bone-chilling tone that promised untold pain and misery.

"T-This is…poison?!"

"V-Vulture you bastard-! Don't just stand there and help me!" The youth just stood there and shook uncontrollably, his face blanched and his face in absolute terror as he watched what was happening to his soon-to-be dead comrade.

"P-Please…" The [Hyena] quirk villain made one last desperate whimper. "H-Have…mercy…!"

"…mercy?" Shepherd whispered. "…too late for that, I'm afraid."

Scourge let out one final gurgled scream of horror as he felt the poisonous metal oozing inside him and began to tear his body apart from the inside out; dark splotches appearing on his skin while Shepherd watched him with mad, twisted eyes. By the time Shepherd was done, Scourge's body stopped shivering and fell to the ground as a blighted corpse; black sludge oozing from every opening of his body and his face locked in terror.

"…you're next." Shepherd snapped his attention towards a horrified Torishima.

**=[]=**

Torishima ran for dear life.

He ran and ran and ran.

"This isn't supposed to happen!" Torishima screamed mentally as he raced past the toxified corpse of his former companion and ran away from Shepherd. "Isn't this guy supposed to be some scrub who happens to waltz in here by mistake? What the hell was that quirk?!"

He could still remember Scourge's angry plead for help as he was mercilessly taken down by the white-haired demon that hunted him like a hound for hell. That cannibal powerhouse was supposedly a monster who took down several heroes with ease before, and yet he was killed so easily!

That guy wasn't human…it wasn't a villain. It was a freaking monster!

Torishima inwardly cursed for why he had to go through all of this. Ever since he was expelled for driving that quirkless crybaby to suicide, he had lost everything; his parents…friends…his future prospects. He was treated like some criminal and faced the judgmental glares of others. He hated that…why should he be blamed when that quirkless nobody jumped off the roof by himself? Fortunately, his luck finally returned when he chanced upon the group 'Scavenge', which took him in, the leader Jackal promising him power and money. He didn't care what shady business they were in; as long as he can have a place somewhere, he was willing to be a villain for what's worth.

But now, he was extremely close to death.

"What are you doing Vulture!?" Jackal's voice demanded from Torishima's earpiece, his voice lacing with dangerous amounts of annoyance. "I saw what happened in the cameras; what the hell did that guy do to Scourge?! And why are you running away!?"

"I-I don't know Jackal-sama!" The [Pterodactyl] quirk boy answered frantically as he ran for his life. "The guy was pummelled hard by Scourge but he got some regeneration quirk that healed him! Not only that, he could control some black substance that he forced Scourge to swallow and now he's DEAD! He's now-GARGH! He's right behind me!"

"…found you…!"

Torishima's eyes widened, the voice of the masked demon uttering that spine-chilling sentence as he emerged from behind him, chasing him like how a wolf catches its prey. The [Pterodactyl] quirk user could have sworn he saw the dog-mask, which was set into a fanged snarl, curl into a grin.

"HELP ME! JACKAL-SAMA!"

"Grr…you blubbering fool!" A sound of a fist banging a hard surface could be heard from the other end of the transmission. "Listen! Just don't let that guy catch you and run to the basement where we keep the patients. I have already placed Siren there to take care of this mess so don't screw this up!"

With a hysterical scream, Torishima complied to his leader's instructions and made his way to one of the wards, pushing aside one of the beds and revealed a hidden stairway leading underground. He tried not to look back as Shepherd was hot on his heels.

"Even for a coward he's annoyingly fast…" Shepherd grumbled while he pursued the villain known as Vulture. Not planning to let off his prey anytime soon, he jumped into the hidden passage and followed Vulture into the stairway.

Before long, numerous holding cells could be seen in the dark basement. The only thing which allowed Shepherd to see were a few flickering light bulbs swaying overhead. Shepherd walked cautiously, and found tens of young patients inside who were sitting on the cold concrete; the oldest being around 20 while the youngest looked no older than 7.

"…So that's where all the patients are…no wonder it feels so deserted…"

Curious, Shepherd went over to the cage and observed the imprisoned children. However, even with the appearance of the white-haired boy, the patients showed no visible reaction and their dull, lifeless eyes stared at the empty space. Shepherd rapped his hand on the bars and made some noise, but their expressions remained unfocused and zombie-like.

"…what's wrong with them?" Shepherd wondered.

"**Psycho Flute: Slumbering Performance**"

Suddenly, music could be heard. A weird sensation overcame Shepherd's senses and caused his legs to buckle down, the eerie music making his mind jumble. Everything in his vision was beginning to twist like an abstract painting and he found himself on his knees from losing his sense of balance.

"What's happening…?" Shepherd thought with confusion, abruptly finding himself surrounded by dark waters.

Shepherd glanced up to see where that music was coming from as a new figure stepped out into the flickering lights; a petite girl with shoulder-long violet hair and teal-coloured eyes gazing Shepherd disinterestedly, her slender fingers playing an entrancing melody on a wooden transverse flute. The entrancing music seemed to reverberate in the entire area and the more Shepherd listened to it, the more his mind seemed to turning into mush; he can't even think straight.

_"...I-Impossible! A sound attack? Is this her quirk?_ Shepherd thought in slight panic, his body failing him as he fell on his knees. He could only look up to see the girl's lifeless eyes gazing down at him.

"…my name is Hichikiri Shizune…villain name, Siren." The girl suddenly spoke in a monotone. "I like music and ice cream. I dislike cats because they scratch, and large crowds because they scare me. I am a villain just like you, and…I have killed 60 people."

_"...Who is she…?"_ Shepherd was slightly thrown off by the girl's weird introduction, but his thoughts were beginning to blur by the effects of the girl's music.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But the least I can do is play a melody to ease your suffering."

The music invaded Shepherd's senses until his mind completely blacked out. The boy futilely tried to cover his ears but he felt his unconsciousness fading, as if he was slowly falling into the darkness' embrace.

"…D-Dammit…!"

.

**=[Yuuei. Training Ground Zeta: Open field]=**

After the incident at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, classes resumed as per usual with most of Midoriya and his classmates back in tip-top condition. The students were informed that, despite the villain invasion, the U.A Sports Festival will be proceeded as planned, and recuperating from their previous injuries were the least of the students' concerns.

Currently it was basic hero training for class 1-A, a session where the students have free reign to experiment and train their quirks for the upcoming competition, honing their abilities on one of the many training grounds of U.A.

"Vlad King, time to switch over." Aizawa greeted the homeroom teacher of Class 1-B, who were currently occupying the training grounds, the former's voice incredibly muffled by the bandages wrapping around his face. "The rest of you…don't just dawdle around. Dedicate yourself to warming up and getting your groove back; you all may have recovered, but take things slow."

Most of the class 1-A heroes quickly complied, but a couple of still-recovering individuals like Tsuyu Asui and Kirishima decided to sit this one out; the former had a bandage wrapped around her tongue while the latter looked like a mummy. Uraraka looked distracted…strained as though something was bothering her.

Tenya was escorting them to the resting bench when he saw Monoma sauntering towards them. A few other of his classmates saw this as well, and cast a wary look at the class 1-B [Copy] quirk user. Nothing good ever comes out of this guy's mouth, as far as they knew.

Monoma had his usual smug grin plastered on his face. "I hear that you guys got creamed by a single villain."

Tenya frowned at that. Monoma has never been fond of class 1-A since the very beginning, always finding ways to compare his own class against theirs in ridiculous ways. Not that his usual ramblings have affected the class in any way…it was sometimes rather comical instead. However this time, the touchy topic brought a heavy sense of foreboding to him and everyone else listening in.

"I mean…even for a first encounter with actual villains, isn't the outcome a little too disappointing?"

Monoma continued, not caring about the warning glares given to him by the students of class 1-A, especially from a certain [Explosion] quirk youth. "The students of class A have been selected based on the entrance exams for both combat and rescue abilities, so it's safe to say that you guys have better combat and practical experience, don't you agree? Against a single villain, I would have expected better from guys in class 1-A. Aren't you guys supposed to be the best? I bet if it's someone from class 1-B, then-"

Tenya cut him off, "If you're not here to give constructive feedback, please leave." His tone was polite, but the intonation of it was sharp and threatening. He just had enough with this guy; the morale of his class has drastically lowered because of him.

Monoma gave a wry smile, but didn't stop. Instead, he turned his attention to an extremely irate Bakugo. "Ah yes, you are somewhat famous yourself, Mr Victim-of-the-sludge-incident! You must tell me, how does it feel to be attacked another [Sludge] villain again this year?"

Bakugo blasted the bench beside him to bits with a loud blast of his explosive sweat, making everyone flinched as he glared at Monoma with so much hatred, Iida could feel his bloodlust. "You little smartass…I dare you to say that again."

"What?" Monoma retorted smugly. "All I'm saying is that we expect better out of someone from-"

An audible whack made the boy stumble before a girl with long orange hair tied to a side-ponytail. "Sorry about that, bet this idiot didn't know you guys faced against a S-rank villain. Anyways…you guys alright? We all know you been through a lot so don't take this idiot seriously okay?" Kendou Itsuka gave an apologetic bow before dragging the semi-conscious Monoma away.

After class 1-B left, Bakugo angrily kicked the ground and proceeded to train on his own. Iida turned to his friends, who all wore the same crestfallen expressions as he did. A couple of them weren't involved in the gruesome confrontation that day, but they had heard enough to know what a traumatic experience this was for their classmates who did.

"How dare he said something like that," Uraraka was trembling slightly from anger, and fear. "What does he know about us…how we tried to fight…just how close we were to dying…! He doesn't know how we felt-"

"I know…I know Uraraka," Iida interjected. "But letting him get into you is probably what he's aiming for. We can't let petty insults get the better of us." In truth, Iida wasn't sure if he had any right to comfort her. He was the one who escaped the facility to get help thanks to his classmates. But by the time he came back, words can't describe how horrified and livid he felt as he saw the bodies of his classmates brutally beaten to the ground.

"But what he said was true, to be honest." Sero gave a weak chuckle. "We were totally pulverised back there."

"You can't say that," Tsuyu ended up being the optimistic one, though her words were pronounced wrongly thanks to her tongue not fully recovered. "That villain was a S-rank villain who killed multiple Pro-heroes in cold blood. Facing him and being able to survive is nothing short of a miracle-ribbit."

"Asui is right," Everyone's attention focused on Midoriya. "This isn't luck…we fought off the villains to the best of our ability and we managed to survive. As long as we are alive, we can get stronger." Izuku clenched his fist as everyone nodded vigorously. "The villains may have caught us off-guard before…but next time, we'll be ready."

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital. Basement]=**

_Ahhh…seriously. What a blunder._

It wasn't long before Shepherd woke up, his hands and feet shackled with chains that were nailed to the wall, completely obstructing the use of his four limbs. His mask was also taken off.

"Oh, he's awake."

Shepherd's head raised up when a new voice spoke up. He quickly scanned the room and spotted three figures standing before him. The furthest was the boy with the bird-mask and wings on his back, the one called Vulture. Next to him was another individual, probably a boy from his clothes, wearing a green gas mask. The third and final person was sitting in a chair right in front of Shepherd, a tall and lanky man in a suit with slicked-back black hair, and circular glasses framing his calculating eyes.

"…You are the leader of this group I guess?" Shepherd asked, making the man's cold gaze meet his own. "…Jackal, isn't it? I could hear your beloved lackey screaming as he ran for his life."

"Boy, you're either extremely brave…or just plain stupid to come here and make demands of us." The tall man called Jackal spoke with a small smile growing on his lips. "You really gave us quite a fright, barging into our little hideout like that, not to mention killing Scourge," Jackal stated as he stood up. "But I hardly believe that someone would just happen to waltz in this old, run-down hospital and start killing the first person they see. Someone sent you here, isn't that right?"

Shepherd remained silent, trying to move his arms and legs. However, the extremely durability of the metal casings covering the entirely of his limbs prevented any hope of movement. He tried to let forth the toxic sludge being secreted within his body, but there was not enough room for it to morph into anything.

"Well, it doesn't matter." Jackal told him, coming to a stop and pressed his index finger to the restrained Shepherd's forehead. "No one hides anything from me."

**"Brain Jack."**

A painful sensation surged through Shepherd's brain like an electric current, making Shepherd let out an involuntary gasp of pain as he felt as though his brain was being fried by a voltage shock. He wanted to move away but the restrains were holding him still, making him completely at mercy to his captor. A few moments later, Jackal removed his finger and gazed at the panting Shepherd with astonished eyes.

"…what did you do, you bastard…?" he demanded.

Jackal chuckled at that. "Like it? That's my quirk, [Brain Eater], an aspect of it allows me to invade my target's brain and watch through your recent memories like a video recording by simply touching your forehead. It's a little tiring, but it's extremely useful for extracting information out of others; that's how I got to know about this place, which belonged to the League of Villains. Are you impressed, boy? Or should I say, Mr Shepherd – the Hellhound of the League?"

"…So, your ability is similar to mind-reading." Shepherd snapped. "…saves me the hassle of explaining why I'm here then. You have made an enemy out of Sensei, Jackal…if the previous owner has indeed died, there would be no reason to keep the rest of you alive."

"Do you not see the situation you're in?" Jackal quirked an eyebrow. "But I must say, I did not expect the League of send the famous Shepherd all the way to here; you are quite the wanted man after all. I could easily break you just like the rest of the patients here."

"…What have you done to the patients here?" Shepherd growled. "Was it that girl who played that flute and knocked me out…? Just what is her quirk?"

"Oh, you mean Siren?" Jackal asked. "I'm afraid that I can't tell you; she's our secret weapon after all. She's the reason why we are able to take over this establishment and the noisy patients without much of a hassle."

"…The people hospitalized here," Shepherd muttered, "…I just don't see what merit you could possibly get from sick and weak people."

"Human test subjects…live guinea pigs," Jackal replied, gesturing towards the many holding cells full of dazed youths imprisoned in the basement. "Patients with little or no background, coming from lowly families who can't afford treatment at a decent hospital. I don't think anyone would care if one or two were to mysteriously vanish into thin air; many of them are doomed to terminal illnesses after all. But these people can still serve a purpose…more than what you League of Villains rabble had planned for them. Just a bit of fiddling with their minds, and they had become the ideal merchandise."

Shepherd frowned at that. "…What did you do to them? A doing of that girl with the flute?"

Jackal's smile widened.

"My [Brain Eater] allows me to read the memories of those I touched, starting with the most recent recollections. But seeing too deeply will cause severe…aftereffects. Now those children are as innocent as new-born babies."

"Our initial plan was to transport groups of the patients to our clients within a few weeks," Jackal continued, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched how helpless Shepherd was. "But now that you're here, there might be a chance that the League may sense something's amiss and send more reinforcements. It looks like we may have to hasten our plans, before the cat gets out of the bag."

"…You won't get away with this, you bastards." Shepherd growled, an angry guttural voice. "…no one crosses Sensei and gets away with it…!"

"Let's see your 'Sensei' come and save you, given his weakened condition. Don't forget, I now know about the current strength of the League of Villains." Jackal spoke out, staring at Shepherd. "Once we are done with this place, I will kill you as well…or would you rather me break your mind like the others and sell you as a human guinea pig?"

"…you-!"

"You two, guard him until I get back." Jackal instructed both Mustard and Vulture as he made his way back to the staircase leading to the upper floors. "If he makes as much as an attempt to escape, kill him."

.

"As expected of Jackal-sama…" Torishima whistled as his boss exited the basement, leaving him and Mustard to guard Shepherd.

"…so noisy." Shepherd grumbled. This guy's voice was seriously pissing him off.

When Torishima heard his voice, he frowned. "Your voice sounds familiar…Have we met before?"

Shepherd took a split second to think. This noisy idiot's voice was also familiar to him. Familiar and infuriating. The more he listened to him ramble, the more he felt like massacring him. Was this guy part of the reason he can't remember anything from his past?

"…No."

Torishima examined his face. Spiky white hair, purple eyes…That defiant look of his. But the clinching factor was his voice. He knew that tone…if he didn't know any better, he swore he looked like…

_…that quirkless crybaby, Hakazuka Kotaro. _

A large grin broke out on his face. "Wha-seriously?! To think you became a villain…" he threw his head back laughing. "Where have you been in the last 6 months?! What's with that super edgy outfit and quirk? You're with the League of Villains now? After all the efforts people took to find your body after you disappeared, and this is where you end up?! Oh wow…I must thank Siren for this! Were it not for her, I wouldn't have this chance to pay you back for what you made me went through after my expulsion from Aldera Junior High!"

"What the…you know this guy?" Mustard asked, surprised that the newest member of their group would have connections to a dangerous S-rank villain like Shepherd.

"This guy was the quirkless nobody who jumped off the school roof!" Vulture, a.k.a Torishima answered with glee, moving towards the annoyed Shepherd and pulled his hair up to have a better look at his face. It has aged, but was certainly the same face of Torishima's favourite punching bag back in junior high. "Because of someone like him…I was punished for something I did not even do! Killing him! Just look at him – this guy got a completely makeover and some hair dye…but I can recognize that face anywhere…the crybaby who ruined my entire life!"

Shepherd glared at him as the noisy bastard continued to yank on his hair. "…what are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't remember me? You got amnesia or memory-loss?" Torishima grinned even further. "Stop trying to bluff; that kind of shit only happens in a manga! Don't you dare forget that you're nothing…appearing after all this time with a new name and appearance, I will always remember your shitty face! And that shitty nerd Deku! And that back-stabbing bastard Bakugo for selling me out!"

"Wait a minute…isn't he supposed to be quirkless? Are you sure-Oi! Jackal told us to only kill him if he tries to escape!" Mustard warned Torishima as he proceeded to beat up the restrained Shepherd with a gleeful look on his twisted face.

"…I repeat…What the hell are you talking about?" Shepherd grew irate as Torishima rained blows and low kicks on him. Who the hell was this guy talking about? Deku…Bakugo…? He could have sworn to have heard those names during the USJ attack, but he could no longer remember for some reason.

Seriously…what was with these people claiming to know him…he was feeling even more annoyed and murderous the longer he heard this guy blabber on and on.

"Hey Hakazuka, why aren't you saying anything? What happened to all that vigour and bravery you displayed before you jumped to your death? Huh?! Tell me what have you been doing all this time while I was shunned by everyone because of what you did, you suicide bastard!"

Mustard watched from a distance while Torishima continued kicking him.

"You think you're hot stuff just because you somehow managed to get a quirk? Has the quirkless coward forgotten his place?" he smirked.

"Oi! Vulture, stop that!" Mustard shouted with panic evident behind his gas mask. "Are you trying to piss him off?! Didn't you see what he did to Scourge you imbecile?!"

"Don't you dare tell me what to do Mustard! Jackal-sama said it to us just now right; his quirk's useless if his arms are bound tight. He can't do shit to us!"

Shepherd's eyes became dangerous, evident by the sclera of his eyes slowly infected black by toxic sludge within his body. His purple eyes started to shake with uncontained anger. "…I am not a quirkless coward…you noisy fly."

"Really now…it's your fault you jumped off the roof that day! You never fought back because you're WEAK! I can never understand why I must take the blame for a weakling that wanted to die on his own accord! If you wanted to die so bad…do it without bothering ME!" The black-haired [Pterodactyl] quirk user screamed in frustration.

That was the wrong choice of words. If the absolute fury present in Shepherd's eyes held any indication, Torishima had just signed his own death warrant.

"Well, that doesn't matter anymore…because I can finally pay back for all those painful months I've endured, thanks to a suicide bastard like you!" Torishima leaned in and whispered into Shepherd's ear, while brandishing the pistol he was given by Jackal. "You have regeneration right~? For starters, how about I shoot your-!"

_***SQUEECH!***_

He was cut off as a sharp and searing pain erupted from the side of his face. "GAR-GRAGGH-!" he fell hard on his butt to see a whole bloody ear dangling from Shepherd's teeth, crudely torn off from the base.

Torishima held a shaking hand up to the side of his head, stemming the blood streaming down it, his face twisted into one of horror and shock before the pain finally registered through his nerves.

"…My quirk [Toxic Sludge]…can be expelled from any part of my body," Shepherd rolled the detached ear in his mouth before spitting it out, ignoring the painful screams of Torishima, who was clutching his head and rolling on the floor in extreme agony. "From any part of my skin… any bit of my flesh…to the tips of my fingernails…even my saliva. Don't think you're safe just because you sealed my arms and legs."

"Y-You…you son of a bitch-!"

The right side of Torishima's head was steadily oozing blood, parts of his flesh slowly turning black as the toxins were taking effect. The [Gas] quirk user Mustard standing guard by the holding cell's door stepped back in shock, an audible gasp could be heard. Shepherd raised his head, licking away the leftover blood and pieces of flesh on his mouth while giving them a cold look, as if finding the two lackeys insignificant.

"…When you're bitten, bite back." The white-haired villain told them, almost mockingly. "…that is the way of the hellhound."

.

**=[To be Continued]=**

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A/N: Leave a comment on what you think! Criticism is welcomed. I'm currently thinking up some more special moves for Shepherd, so if you have a suggestion...you can leave it in a comment!


	7. Retaliation

A/N: A shout out to the reviews!

ARSLOTHES: Thanks for the compliment! Welcome to the story, my friend!

Mightless3: Shepherd is as tall as Kaminari Denki. He's just slightly taller than Midoriya.

Rex559: It's true that Hound-dog is in charge of helping students with their problems. But because of Midoriya and Bakugo's possible connection to Shepherd, All-Might is place in charge of finding out what happened.

Raven Mordrake: You'll just have to see in this chapter.

Donovan2771: It's tempting…maybe I'll add that in the future..

Betacode79: Thanks for that comment. I really hope I don't have to make this fic M-rated.

weslyschraepen: Oh he'll get his revenge…in due time. But we have to remember that his memories are lost and tempered with by All for One, so he hardly recognises anyone.

Now, onwards!

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**Chapter 7: Retaliation.**

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**=[Musutafu Outskirts, Washiki District, Gekai Private Hospital]=**

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"GARGH-GRAGH-! MY EAR! THIS CRAZY BASTARD BIT OFF MY EAR!" Torishima roared in agony, rolling on the floor as blood seeped out of the fresh wound at a steady pace, with his detached ear spat out a distance away from him.

Shepherd made a face like he was about to vomit…before a puddle of toxic sludge was hurled out from his mouth. Before the other guard, Mustard, could retch in disgust at this, the black sludge twisted into life and morphed into spears. They cut through the chains and iron shackles restraining Shepherd and released him. "…You're so noisy…" he looked at the screaming Torishima with disinterest.

"…I can in fact purge sludge from any part of my body…but doing it from my mouth leaves a seriously revolting aftertaste." Coughed Shepherd, wiping the remains of blood and sludge off his lips.

Mustard was about to reach inside his uniform to fish something out, but Shepherd swung his arm and let loose a gunkshot of toxic sludge. Mustard was knocked against the wall and caged in a mass of dark ooze before he could even react, while Torishima continued screaming from the [Toxic Sludge] user's previous attack.

"…I said…" Shepherd growled. "You're too noisy!" He used his other hand to morph the sludge into a whip, slamming it straight into the [Pterodactyl] quirk user's body. The young thug was sent flying into a wall, effectively silencing him and knocked out cold. With him out of the way (for now), he turned his attention to the now cowering Mustard. "Now…what should I do?"

"W-Wait don't kill me!" Mustard cried out. "I can help you!"

From the pitch of his voice, Shepherd figured that this boy was around his age as well, maybe slightly younger.

"…help me?" The hold around Mustard tightened drastically and caused Shepherd's captive to gasped in pain. "…What would you possibly know that could possibly help me? When I can just raze this entire establishment to the ground and get rid of your annoying little group in one shot? What is going to stop me from crushing you right now into a bloody pulp?"

"C-Calm down. Look…I know about the layout of this place better than anyone else." Mustard hastily replied. "You want to find our boss, don't you?! If you let me off, you'll find my quirk pretty handy right now and I can bring you to Jackal! So…please?"

Before Mustard could continue, Shepherd took a moment to observe the trapped, lifeless patients of the hospital sitting in their holding cells.

Shepherd's fingers twitched in agitation at the sight of the broken youths gazing soullessly at him like statues. He didn't know them, but seeing people his age fallen prey to that infuriating Jackal's devilish schemes triggered a horrible feeling in Shepherd. The feeling of being trapped…toyed with…

To make things worse, some of the prisoners were mumbling incoherent ramblings like they were constantly in a trance. The light of life was lost in their eyes, and Shepherd now realized Jackal wasn't bluffing when he said his quirk could rob people of their cognitive abilities. Looks like only the culprit who reduced them to this state could turn them back.

There it was; that weird feeling like Shepherd knew something from his past. Shaking his head, he calmed himself and focused on the task at hand, shifting his focus back to Mustard.

"Where is Jackal?"

"H-He's probably at the third floor…that's where he hangs out to chill."

After a moment of thought, the sludge trapping the gas-masked boy loosened considerably.

"…Alright then, but first…tell me the quirks of all the people in your little group, as well as how their weaknesses," Shepherd instructed, increasing the grip power in the hold again to make sure Mustard was properly registering what he wanted. "…I've seen some of them in action, mind you. If anything you say doesn't add up or sounds fishy…I will kill you on the spot."

"Y-You got it." Mustard nervously replied. "T-The big guy with the hyena face is named Scourge, his quirk [Hyena] grants him supernatural reflexes and agility…but I'm sure his cannibal tendencies is just a disgusting past-time."

"…That guy is dead, so that information's useless now." Shepherd snorted, lowering his voice and edged the black sludge closer to Mustard's face. "If that's all you know, should I make you experience the same death as Scourge?"

The kid paled and froze in his grip. He shook his head frantically and yelled. "Wait! Wait! I got more! I swear! Look, that guy whom you just bit his ear out? He acts like a bigshot, but his [Pterodactyl] quirk just gives him those red-coloured wings to fly and hover short distances. It's funny how his villain name is 'Vulture', when he can't even fly that high off the ground."

"…Yeah, real funny." Shepherd growled. "How about your leader Jackal and that girl with the flute? It seems like those two are the most annoying ones."

"You have already felt Jackal's [Brain Eater] personally; it allows him to view the memories of people he had touched on their foreheads. I don't know the full extent of his quirk, but what I do know is that if he reads too much into one's memories, the person will end up in a permanently broken state of mind; that's how the patients of this place became like that." The kid said. "As for Jackal's sister…"

"…Wait- that girl is your boss' sister?"

"That's what he calls her, but I don't know if that's really the case. Siren's quirk is a little unusual, because she needs an instrument to activate it," Mustard explained hurriedly, glancing around nervously as though his leader was secretly watching him. "Her quirk manipulates the five senses and emotions of anyone in the vicinity who hears the sound she produces. From what I know, her vocal cords emit ultrasonic waves which attacks the target's brain through their eardrums, instilling powerful hallucinations. That's all I know I swear!"

"…So what's your quirk? How is it going to be helpful for me?"

Mustard smirked a little and pointed at himself. "It's [Gas]. I can emit a special type of gas from my body and I can sense where everything is within the gas by reading its fluctuations, just like how a spider tracks its prey within its web. It's pretty neat for scouting and tracking the movement of others. But it's harmless I swear!"

"…Harmless you say? Then why wear a gas mask?" Shepherd asked, making Mustard winced and shrugged his shoulders in shame. "It makes me look the part, I have to conceal my identity with something, don't I? Trust me when I said my quirk is harmless, you weren't affected by it when you first came to this place, right?"

"…So that purple gas in the beginning was your doing too huh?" Shepherd mused. "If that's the case, there one last thing I need to know."

**_*SLASH!*_**

"…Tell me how to change those patients back, _now_." Shepherd snarled as he turned to look at Mustard. "…or else," he said as he stressed on the 'else', a sludge blade pointed at the latter's throat.

"I swear there's nothing I can do! Only Jackal has the power to revert his quirk, I can take you to him!"

Shepherd looked at Mustard sceptically, but he released Mustard from his sludge and gave him a warning glare. "Lead the way to Jackal then. If you are leading me to a trap…"

"Be prepared to face the consequences."

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**=[Yuuei. Outside Staff Conference Room]=**

"It's a miracle that they're still going on with the Sports Festival, given what happened at the USJ. A bad idea if you ask me…"

"Come on Aizawa! Your class is so hyped up about it despite having just recovered from that attack, can't you at least match a little of your students' enthusiasm?"

"That's what I'm worried about; I don't need a student over-straining himself from excitement and cause an accident." Aizawa sent Yamada a glare as they just finished a briefing for the upcoming sports festival. "I told them to take it easy but still…"

"It's a once-per-year event after all, an integral part of every U.A student's journey as a hero," Yamada stated loudly. "It's not something that's going to be cancelled easily or taken lightly. It's a prestigious event after all, something the entire country looks forward to."

"There's the incredibly long debate to the issue of continuing the event though…" Aizawa slowly trailed off to a mutter. "The brats are lucky to have almost recovered from their injuries during the USJ attack, most of them. Todoroki Shouto have cuts all over his body while Kirishima still has a broken arm. I tried to talk them about sitting out the one-on-one battle rounds, but they were incredibly insistent. Talk about hard-headed."

In response to Aizawa's sighs, Yamada just laughed. But after a while, the [Voice] quirk Pro-hero and teacher told his colleague in a more serious tone.

"Hey Aizawa, did you hear? You, me and Nemuri. We're being asked to join a temporary task force for the time being after this festival is over, approximately during the internships of the hero classes."

After a few seconds of silence, Aizawa gave him a slightly bewildered stare – his brow showing his surprise from the way it raised the bandages covering his face. "No. I have heard nothing of the sort. Where did you get that info from?"

Looking around to make sure no one's listening, Present-Mic explained. "I don't know much of the details…but apparently we are specifically selected to suppress a certain villain. I got a hint from that Inspector Tsukauchi the last time he visited here thanks to the USJ incident."

"So…who is this villain?" Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me it's the crazy one making the news these days?"

"Bingo," Present-Mic nodded in confirmation. "The user of [Toxic Sludge], S-rank villain Shepherd."

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital, Second Floor]=**

"This better be the right way kid."

"Just believe me! What use would there be in lying to you at this point? And stop calling me 'Kid', it's Mustard. You're only what? 15 years old?"

"…I don't care," Shepherd only let out a snort as he followed Mustard's lead and climbed up the stairs leading to the second floor of the hospital. "…I'll only believe you when you lead me to that Jackal. Until then…you don't need me to say what happens if you are lying, do you?"

"Your lack of trust is seriously a pain…" Mustard muttered, keeping a safe distance away from Shepherd. "But I guess that's what makes you the S-rank villain Shepherd; the Hellhound of the League of Villains. Is it a good time to say just how much of a fan I am? The way you slaughtered that powerhouse Muscular…not to mention Scourge, you are really the real deal!"

"Again…I don't care." Shepherd said, hissing over his shoulder. "Just tell me where to go next."

"…Just around the corner at the surgery room." Mustard told him. "There is an emergency staircase which leads to the third floor. Jackal will most probably be in the surveillance room where the security feed is shown."

He climbed the stairs and reached the second floor. The hospital had three floors above the ground, and the basement. While walking down the white corridors, Shepherd suddenly stopped. A petite figure stood in front of him. It was the girl in a hoodie and sneakers, with lavender-purple hair and bandages around her neck, giving off an unnatural atmosphere.

"It's Siren," Mustard warned, retreating behind Shepherd. "Just like me, she doesn't have any combat ability…but she can knock us out by through music using that flute of hers."

The thing which caught Shepherd's attention was the wooden flute in her hands. He had been previously caught in some weird hypnosis which caused him to be suppressed so easily. If he was caught again, he was sure they will kill him with no hesitation this time. In any case, falling victim to her music was not going to be an option.

"…a troublesome quirk." Shepherd muttered. "But not one without its weaknesses."

"My name is Hichikiri Shizune, villain name: Siren," said the girl who had been silent. "I like ice-cream and music, and I dislike cats and crowds. I have killed 60 people."

"…I heard you the first time. I'm in a rush, so step aside." Shepherd's voice cut her off harshly, as sharp as steel. "…I can't say I would have mercy on a girl. If you choose to get in my way, I'll won't hesitate to cut you down."

"It doesn't matter." Shizune's voice lacked even less emotion than Shepherd. "I will fight to protect my brother, his dreams…and my home. A person who dares destroys our home will be silenced, like all the others before you. Are you going to betray us, Mustard?"

"Sorry," Mustard told her. "It's my personal policy to side with the winning team."

"So be it. I'll just have to put both of you to sleep." Shizune then whispered, placing the transverse flute gently upon her lips. "**Psycho Flute: Slumbering Performance.**"

"…That music again?" Shepherd said without changing his expression. "…Don't expect the same trick to work twice."

Shepherd's sludge spread out like wings and attacked Siren in a shower of bullets. Siren silently jumped back to avoid the sludge by a narrow margin, pressing the flute to her lips once more and let the melody reverberate across the corridor, making Shepherd wobble unsteadily as he beginning to feel the effects of the girl's music. However, that did not caused the [Toxic Sludge] quirk user to stop; the boy expanding his sludge to catch the villain flutist in its range, but much to his chagrin, the girl was more nimble than he thought, playing her flute with more force.

"**Psycho Flute: Slumbering Performance Crescendo**"

A louder and shriller melody was produced, and it resounded deeply in Shepherd's mind no matter how much he covered his ears!

"…a quirk that attacks the senses…that's quite nasty." Shepherd clenched his teeth, struggling to not collapse. "But don't you dare…underestimate me!"

Shepherd willed the toxic sludge blades high in the air, before piercing it into his own stomach. That caused him to cough out blood, but he grinned as the pain cleared his mind and caused his vision to refocused, able to see Siren who was watching quietly with dark eyes.

"You overcame the sound by inflicting pain upon yourself," Siren said blankly. "But nothing will change. If you wish to harm yourself to escape my music, I shall simply continue playing until your body bleeds out. I will not give you the time to recover."

Siren rushed forward, readying her instrument once more. But Shepherd took his opportunity to morphed his toxic sludge into countless spears and lashed them out in a wide area. Following Shepherd's attack, Siren quickly breathed a piercing melody and made the boy clutched his head in pain, breaking off his concentration to activate his [Toxic Sludge] quirk.

"I won't give you time to morph your sludge."

"Grrr…Gargh-**SCHWARZ HAGEL **(Black Hail)!" With a snarl, Shepherd hardened his sludge into bullets and fired them in all directions like a machine gun.

Siren did not have time to react and was pierced in several areas. With a dark flash he caught the flute which had fallen out of her hands. The instrument soon splintered, crushed and shattered into pieces of wood.

"Nice try…" Shepherd's eyes sharpened with ferocity. "But I've enough with your music. With this, you are rendered useless…so step aside."

Shepherd's sludge reformed into a large beaked spear, aiming at Siren's neck. However, Siren's expression did not change as she continued to stand in the boy's path, pulling out a pocket knife from her pocket and showing Shepherd the blade.

It would be so easy to kill her now…but something about her doesn't seem right.

"Step aside, you have lost the means to activate your quirk." Shepherd repeated with more force. "Or do you merely have a death wish?"

However, just as Siren was about to say something, a purplish gas suddenly overwhelmed the entire corridor in one strong burst. Shepherd's eyes widen as he saw Siren's genuine expression of surprised before she slumped forward and fell to the ground unconscious. Following this, his body also fell down, and his eyes fell upon the one responsible for this sudden attack.

"Have a nice sleep. I'll finish the rest…" Shepherd looked at to see Mustard with a revolver in his hands. He could have sworn a smirked was forming on that little bastard's ugly mug. "…you idiots."

.

**=[U.A Sports Stadium]=**

Bakugo was distracted. That was the only excuse he had for being distracted during the race.

_"You drove him to this! You could have prevented that!"_

Not only was Deku beginning to grow some balls, he was also constantly reminding him to a bad memory, and it sickened him.

Why did he even care so much? Why was he acting like he was entirely to blame for that quirkless crybaby's suicide attempt?

It wouldn't change anything now.

Even if that crazy villain that faced was indeed, by some miraculous chance, Hakazuka Kotaro…it wouldn't change anything.

He wasn't the same person anymore, by a long shot. That guy was just a crazy psychopathic villain who got himself into the top danger list or villain and was now wanted by the country. But at the end of the day…a mere villain.

He did not have a hand in creating such a monster.

That shitty Deku thought he knew everything. He almost hoped that he would end up facing Deku directly in one of the advancing rounds, just to show how weak he actually was.

He looked behind him briefly to see the wave of faux villain robots crashing down on the majority of the U.A students right at the start of the obstacle race (courtesy of that half-and-half bastard), many of them already hinder by such a weak excuse of an obstacle.

What a joke.

With his usual ruthless attitude, he blasted his way though the rest of the robots, not caring if he knocked others out of the way, his gaze fixated only on the aloof Todoroki running ahead of everyone else.

If he wanted to advance to the top with flying colours, being second was not an option. In the massively competitive world of Pro-heroes, being the best was the only way, and he could not afford to be bothered by those struggling beneath him.

_"You did not care about anyone else besides yourself, Kacchan!"_

But that was a lot easier said than done, as he caught a determined Midoriya bashing his way through the first barricade of robots and glared at him with a determined expression. There it was again, being distracted needlessly when he should be aiming for what's in front of him. That Shepherd guy had nothing to do with him, nor should he care. The heroes will always win…especially against villains.

The world is cruel, and reality is even harsher.

Bakugo was going to reach for number 1, even if it meant trampling over countless others for it.

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital, Second Level]=**

"I can't believe he fell for such an obvious lie," Mustard chuckled as he stood before the two fallen figures of Shepherd and Siren. "Looks like Jackal was right all along; small fries like me always look practically harmless powerful guys like you. Did having born with two quirks make you feel somewhat special? You must be feeling so confident because of that regeneration of yours right~? A special guy like you never expected to be ambushed by little-ol'me, isn't that right?"

His laughter only intensified when he was responded with silence. "But I technically never lied to you, really. My quirk is indeed gas…I just happened to exclude one tiny detail. It's [sleeping gas]! Luckily I made the correct decision to remove that mask of yours from the very beginning!"

_"Sparing the enemy is a common trait of the strong and arrogant,"_ Mustard thought to himself as he stood behind Shepherd's still figure. _"He thinks he's invincible just because he has a [Regeneration] quirk…what a dunce."_

He reached within his gakuran school uniform and pulled out a small handgun – a 38 Revolver, aiming the silver barrel straight at Shepherd's head. "No matter how exceptional a person's quirk is, they are still human."

"Overconfidence is a typical trait of people with healing quirks; they think they're invincible. Even if you have a powerful regeneration quirk, if I aim for your brain or heart…I can still kill you easily, just like any other human being."

"Goodbye…and good riddance." He declared gleefully, the finger pulling the trigger.

He was about to pull the trigger when suddenly, a barrage of black sludge spikes protruding all around Mustard and immobilized him; their sharp ends poised to skewer the boy alive. He yelped, falling to the ground on his rear. "…Nice gun, it's the same type as what that winged bastard was using when he fought me." The voice of Shepherd uttered a demonic snarl as he stood up, eyeing Mustard with a dangerous glare. "…you must be pretty weak if you're relying on something like that."

"Impossible…!" Mustard sputtered in shock. "I just hit you with my quirk at full blast…so why are you still moving?! The poison gas should have knocked you out cold! You should be asleep!"

"…Poison?" Shepherd looked up towards Mustard at that, growling furiously like an animal. "…you call this poison?"

Shepherd's sludge morphed into a whip and pulled away Mustard's gun. "G-Give it back!" Mustard realized that his last resort for a counterattack had been stolen away and paled greatly.

"…sorry, but I'm afraid that my body is host to a much deadlier poison; yours just can't keep up."

Shepherd held the gun in his hand. At the same time, sludge oozed out of his arm and encased it in the form of a claw, before the gun was crushed in its powerful grip. The black metal pieces scattered in vain before Mustard's eyes, who could only watch in horror.

"…What's the matter?" Shepherd asked coldy. "Weren't you going to kill me?"

Shepherd threw a punch, hitting him squarely in the center of his gas mask. His small, scrawny body was thrown back to the floor as his protective gear shattered into pieces, revealing his true identity to be a boy slightly younger than Shepherd himself, with blonde choppy hair. Blood was leaking from his mouth, several molars forcibly removed from the sheer power behind the strike.

"…how many people whom you've shot with that gun? You think you're strong with that kind of borrowed strength?" the [Toxic Sludge] user asked coldly as he stomped towards him, his sludge morphing into a hellish blade. "In the end…you are just like that Muscular guy huh? Was it fun to kill those weaker than you?" He grabbed Mustard's wrist with his other hand, pulling it upwards. His body was limb, still stricken with fear, and pain was coursing through his system like a pump. "…I bet you took your anger out of those patients in the basement as well, isn't that right? What other reason could there possibly be for you to stay in this little group?"

Mustard retreated to the wall in horror, his face etched with sweat and tears, and body pressed against the wall. "W-wait, please let me explain!" he begged and pleaded for his life. Little good would that do for him right now. "This was all Jackal's idea! I'm innocent! I'm only following orders!"

"No no no, I understand…I don't blame you," He leaned in, whispering into his ear. "It feels good, doesn't it?"

Mustard's face blanched, his soul finally tasting true absolute terror. "…I understand…the sense of elation when you kill others who belittled you…" Shepherd said, almost in a reminiscing tone. "…but what is the use of killing those weaker than you? Or using something as distasteful as a gun? No…you have to use your own two hands to take action…to destroy those who dared stand in your way."

"…You got some balls to try killing me even after knowing how I killed Scourge previously, I'll give you that." Shepherd told him. "For that…I'll give you a quick death."

Mustard felt his tears finally sprawling all over his face. "N-No…! Please I beg you!"

"...**Schwarz Kiefer** (Black Jaws of the Beast)."

The sludge loomed above Mustard like a monster's jaws, before slicing down and bisecting his body into two pieces.

**=[]=**

"…That was seriously unsatisfying."

Shepherd gazed at the split body of Mustard. After all that big talk, this was all he amounted to? "You think I'm privileged? You think I'm was born lucky and powerful?" he told him, stepping away from him. "If that's how you see _someone like me_, you must have lived a pretty luxurious life."

Mustard's eyes fell on him weakly. "Finishing you off has no merits…" Shepherd scoffed. "I'll just let the poison do its work."

He sharply turned on his foot and walked towards the other opponent who has fallen victim to Mustard's sleep-inducing gas.

"hgg…" Siren groaned, but her body couldn't move much. She struggled to stand and her hands tried to reach her instrument.

A black claw of sludge manifested from Shepherd and held Siren's neck, who fell to the ground while trying to pick up her flute. Siren gasped for air while her lungs were constricted, fingers clawing the sludge appendage.

Observing the girl's lack of fear, Shepherd asked with blood thirst evident in his tone. "Where is Jackal? Spit it out. I'll kill you if you don't." Shepherd demanded with his purple eyes gazing into Siren's. He began to squeeze tighter. "I was patient with the first liar, you won't be so lucky this time if you so much as to utter a single word of nonsense."

"What is your purpose here?" Siren suddenly asked emotionlessly. "Are you perhaps sent here to kill everyone, or…you plan to reclaim those children in the basement as the League of Villain's property?" Those words caused the black sludge controlled by Shepherd to bubble furiously, morphing rapidly into a spear, like a scorpion behind Shepherd, pointed towards Siren.

"My job…is to eradicate the fools who dare intrude on League's territory and claim it as their own." Shepherd snarled. "This is your last chance; give me the location of your leader and tell me how to undo the effects of Jackal's quirk on those people trapped in the basement."

"It's…impossible." Siren said in the same voice. "My brother's quirk has rendered them permanently deprived of any cognitive ability…they will remain in that state for the rest of their lives. As for my brother…I would give my life to protect him."

"…I see."

Shepherd's sludge began to bubble, forming around his arms like his anger was manifesting.

"…he must be a sorry excuse of a leader if he does not plan to deal with me himself, but it does not matter. My patience is running thin here, either spill your leader's whereabouts…or your final words. Without your flute, you are nothing but a weakling."

"That will not change anything," said Siren immediately, her eyes were stone-cold, lifeless and deprived of emotion. "I will carry out my mission to protect him."

"I can't say that's not admirable, but you are ultimately a foolish person."

"Kill me then."

Shepherd clicked his tongue in disgust before swinging his sludge diagonally and throwing Siren, making her crash to the floor with a painful thud and left a radical mark.

"If you wish to die so much, do so in a corner by yourself," Shepherd quickly walked past Siren, and made his way out of the corridor. "What a boring opponent."

.

**=[Gekai Hospital level 3, Security Surveillance Room]=**

Jackal was born an excellent prodigy who had a way with words and people. However…he didn't possess a single ounce of empathy, believing that being mindful of others was a waste of time when effort should be spent developing his own business empire and standing in society. Combining his wit, cunning together with his [Brain Eater] quirk, he was a feared con-man who able to amass his riches while avoiding detection from the authorities.

Robbing people of their minds and plundering possessions for himself, thievery, fraud, trickery. Jackal had committed the most heinous crimes to get where he was today. Who cares if he was scoffed at for having a villain-like quirk? While the rest of them are slaving away in this 'just' society, he would be lavishing in the fruits of his own endeavors.

He had no interest in others, and trampled over the lives of various heroes, villains and civilians. A boy who was expelled from school thanks to a suicide case. A small-fry villain who despised the strong and privileged. A cannibal who was shunned from society, and a girl with a mental trauma from her quirk going berserk. He had utilized everything to his advantage, standing on top of others like a demon.

Sitting in the chair in the surveillance room of the abandoned hospital, Jackal watched what was happening below through the security cameras. "Tch…they can't even do their jobs properly." He had specifically instructed Mustard through the communicators to act like he was going to betray and former, and then bringing Shepherd Siren to fight him. If she wasn't strong enough, the plan was to have Mustard finish him off using the gun provided to him.

It was the perfect plan.

He had specifically told Mustard not to bother using his gas and just use the gun…but the boy just couldn't bear to resist using his quirk and trash-talking, could he?

To make things worse, that Shepherd just had to be immune to poison and chemical agents…just great.

"After all that effort made to procure those guns…" Jackal seethed. "Those idiots blew it up." He kicked down the chair in anger, massaging his tempers as he weighed his remaining options.

Scourged was killed. Mustard was brutally incapacitated. Vulture was in the basement unconscious. All he had left was Siren, who was somehow spared but her instrument was destroyed.

"Well…I really hope it doesn't come to this." Jackal calmly turned the dashboard control keys and opened a channel to communicate with Siren. "But I have a final card to play."

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital. Second Level.]=**

"Shizune…report your status."

While Shepherd was making his way to the highest floor of the hospital, Siren tapped on the communicator and spoke quietly.

"B-Brother…Shepherd is making his way to the third floor now. I-My instrument is broken…Mustard is down and I don't know where Vulture is."

"Shizune…are you hurt?" Jackal's voice was calm. "Are you able to fight?"

"I-I can move…but I'm still feeling a little weak because of Mustard's gas." The girl known by her real name Shizune, replied.

"Then come up to the third floor now…no excuses." There was no trace of concern or worry in Jackal's voice. It was the voice of authority that he still had pieces left to play in the game. "we still have you and your quirk. We will kill Shepherd once and for all."

"I…I have to use my quirk…to kill?" Siren said in an absurdly flat voice, her fingers gripped her own arm tightly.

"Are you questioning my orders? Or perhaps…" Jackal's voice turned icy. "…you wish lose your only place in the world…and go to jail?"

Shizune's breathing stopped, as though her superior's voice had caused the air to vanish.

"N-No…P-Please I-!"

"You don't have anywhere to go if we were to fall here, Shizune. Don't disappoint me."

With that said, communication was then lost.

Tracing the communicator in her ear with a shaky finger, Shizune turned around. Her body was shaking, she was afraid to go after the white-haired boy. Her eyes lingered on the broken pieces of her flute, before finally making a decision.

"I will continue to kill…to protect my place."

With her emotions shut down forcefully, her eyes returned to their blank, lifeless state.

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital, Third Level]=**

"You've really made me angry, boy." Jackal's voice echoed in the hallway where Shepherd just entered from the stairway. "I should have broken your mind with my quirk from the very start."

"…Jackal." Shepherd turned around, looking for the source of the sound. "…you have been relying on your lackeys like a coward so far. How about you come out?"

"Looks like the League of Villains wasn't as weak as everyone claimed them to be," said the leader of 'Scavenge' in a flat tone. "The [Toxic Sludge] quirk user Shepherd…what did the League do to have a monster such as you?"

"…Enough," Shepherd told him. "You killed one of Sensei's close associates. You messed with the territory of the League of Villains. As such, I will eradicate you…and bring your corpse to Sensei."

"Don't get cocky. You think I'll let myself be beat by a mere child? A stupid kid whose purpose is to impress his boss like some obedient dog?! Screw that!"

Shepherd's patience was stretching thin. At this rate, it would be faster if he used his quirk to demolish every single level of the hospital and forced Jackal out into the open. In terms of combat ability, Shepherd's quirk comes out on top. Only person remained for the completion of his mission.

Or so it seemed.

"I won't let you proceed on further than this. You will die here." Standing at the entrance where Shepherd came from, the flute-wielding Siren, Hichikiri Shizune.

"Willing to die for your leader?" said Shepherd, slightly mocking. "I have given you a warning. Your illusions won't work on me anymore."

"How confident," Jackal laughed through the loudspeaker, apparently enjoy this scene from his hiding spot. "Do it, Shizune. Show him your true strength."

"Brother is in danger…I must save him…!"

"…Your quirk is useless without your flute. How are you going to fight me? Are you going to become a human meatshield just to protect what's left of your little group? There's nothing a weak little girl like you could do in this situation."

Siren didn't answer, she just looked down and clutched her head in fear.

"I must…Save him…I must kill you…!"

Her voice trembled with desperation. No…it was fear.

"…You," Shepherd observed the shaking girl. Something seemed off about her from the beginning. "That's enough-"

Siren hugged her body with both hands. Her joints turned white and her fingernails sank into her shivering flesh. "I must protect my place…I must protect brother…I must protect brother…I must be useful if I want to live…I must…!" she said with a scared look. Her teeth were shaking with terror and cold sweat sprouted all over her face.

Shepherd, after looking at the girl's drastic transformation from her initial emotionless outlook, said with a hard tone. "…Enough. Stand down and I won't hurt you."

"Go on Shizune," The sinister voice of Jackal chuckled over the loudspeakers. "Show him just why you are called Siren."

_"Your quirk is death-incarnate, Shizune. As long as you live…you can only bring suffering to those around you."_

In front of Shepherd, Shizune trembled violently. She was so terrified…so scared…but she took a deep breath. With his eyes narrowed, Shepherd readied his sludge and dashed towards Shizune.

_"You have no place left in this world. If you want to continue living…you have to protect me, Shizune."_

And Shizune screamed.

**"SKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCHHHHH!"**

In Shepherd's dumbfounded face, Shizune screamed out a high-pitched scream that hit the boy like a massive shockwave. An invisible force hit Shepherd, and he crashed to the ground as searing pain assaulted his eardrums. Shepherd lost consciousness for a moment, like a puppet whose strings got cut off, until his body twitched slightly at the unbearable sensation like his ears were about to explode.

"Impressive, don't you think?!" Jackal laughed over the intercom as he observed the battle from another room. "Siren's quirk is **[Psychosis]**! When she uses her flute, the sounds she produced can impair your senses and emotions in your mind! But her true terror lies in her voice, emitting ultrasonic waves directly to the mind…and scramble your brain in seconds!"

Siren screamed again.

Shepherd could not even hear his own cries of pain as the sound assaulted his eardrums and caused blood to bleed from his ears, eyes and mouth. No matter how much he tried to clamp his ears shut, the sound just seemed to pass through any defense and caused him to feel like his nerves were on fire. Shepherd's body was constantly taking damage, but he still continued to struggle in agony. Normally, a few seconds of Shizune's voice was enough to destroy someone completely, but seeing Shepherd still alive caused her to panic and unleashed her devastating high-frequency attack repeatedly. Her hands were shaking, her eyes were trembling and cold sweat was all over her body.

"This is what makes her the perfect killing machine!" Jackal's voice chuckled. "You are going to pay for what you have done to my group, brat!" He continued, forcing Shepherd to listen. "I have always gotten what I want from whoever I wanted, and you're no exception. I'm going to make sure you'll have a slow and agonizing death…and turn you into a living vegetable! Do it! Shizune!"

_I must kill…I must kill…I must kill…_

Shizune could not stop attacking. She couldn't even stop if she wanted to. All she could hear was the cold voice of her brother and what would happened if she did not finish off the opponent. Her broken soul screamed, she couldn't stop. It was only when a searing pain rose in her throat, which caused her to stop and coughed violently, blood dribbling out from her mouth.

"Don't stop Shizune!" Jackal's voice ordered. "Use your voice to destroy him until there's nothing left!"

'*cough!* I-I cannot…*cough!* …stop!" Shizune tried to use her voice, but the pain was too unbearable for her and made her cough out small spatters of blood to the floor. But the voice of her brother was far scarier than the pain…forcing herself to stand up and continue unleashing her hypersonic scream. Her throat was cracking, but her broken soul continued to cry in desperation.

"W-why…?"

Shizune's voice stopped.

Shepherd's lips moved in small words.

"Why…are you listening to this weakling…why are you so afraid?"

A shiver went through Shizune's body. Why wasn't this boy dead? Her quirk has always killed her victims within seconds, but why is he still conscious? She stared at Shepherd with fear in her eyes.

"You…don't actually want to kill…don't you?"

Shizune's face turned a ghostly white, and her emotions began to skyrocket through the roof.

_"You have no right to live, Shizune."_

_"Killers have no place in this unfair world,"_ The icy whisper of Jackal clutched her heart. The voice which shackled her. _"But I can give you salvation…lend me your strength Shizune, and I can make a world where you can be accepted."_

_._

_._

**=[Flashback]=**

_A case study on quirk theory once hypothesized,_

_A child would normally manifest his or her quirk by the age of four, or born with it (especially for mutation-types). However, there have been cases of quirks that first activated with an external stimulus. For example, a man in his twenties thought to be quirkless…had in fact possess the ability to fly during a skydiving trip. Such cases of hidden quirks had raised the question of why? Seventy-five percent of hidden quirk cases required very specific triggers to manifest themselves…and the quirks themselves may be increasing in power without their owners realizing it. Theory indicates that the longer the quirk doesn't manifest, the more likely it may go berserk at its first manifestation. So, it is essential for parents to identity the child's quirk nature as should as possible, to take safety countermeasures if necessary…_

_._

_The Hichikiri household had a long history of producing some of the most influential musicians in Musutafu. Shizune had the perfect life planned. Her mother was a violist, with a [Music Empathy] quirk which allowed her to instill various emotions with her music instruments. Her father was a talented pianist and singer, his [Acoustic-kinesis] quirk giving him the ability to amplify any sound he produced. _

_Even though Shizune was born quirkless, she was no doubt…the pride and joy of her prestigious family. Her favorite instrument was the transverse flute, and she was a great singer who has garnered many fans online for her voice. _

_"You are our most precious treasure…our beautiful little songbird," her parents would constantly tell her, ruffling her trademark lavender-purple hair. "For your very first solo performance, our friends will finally hear your music…but don't be nervous okay?"_

_The smile on Shizune's face said it all. On her 10th birthday, she was scheduled to have her very first solo performance, a feat rare even for music practitioners. She was initially disappointed not to have a quirk just like her parents, but now none of it mattered to Shizune. To her, having a quirk was just an accessory…something that made her different from others. But with her innate talent in music, her life was already fulfilled. _

_On that day, the lights shone on the stage and thunderous applause prompted the little girl to trod nervously up on stage, wearing a stunning white dress handpicked by her mother. Reaching into her attire, she produced her favorite flute._

_She held the flute in her hands…she was smiling at the applauding crowd…her fancy dress twirled beautifully as she prepared for the biggest performance of her life as a prodigy flutist. _

_She could even see the proud faces of her parents smiling from the front role._

_"Please," she prayed. "Let this performance be the most memorable of my life. Everyone shall not forget my music."_

_In the next moment…_

_Her prayer was answered…by the untimely manifestation of her quirk, a fusion of her parent's powers which she never imagined she had. _

_Someone in the audience started screaming. It startled the girl at first, but experience calmed her nerves and she continued to play her flute. But soon even more audience members began to go berserk, screaming their lungs out and foaming in the mouth, attacking the shocked listeners beside them like they've gone mad. Shizune's eyes turned horrified when every single person in the music hall started displaying the same symptoms, collapsing with screams filled with agonizing pain._

_Something was happening. Villains must be attacking, why else would they be acting like that?_

_"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP! VILLAINS…VILLAINS ARE-!" Shizune stopped playing and screamed for help while she jumped off the stage to help her dear audience. But the expressions of pain intensified as a weird wave of energy seemed to originate from Shizune's voice, making everyone bleed extreme volumes of blood from every opening of their body. _

_"Run…PLEASE RUN AWAY!" she sobbed, but the more she cried out to help, the more agony the audience members seemed to suffer as they tried to clamp their ears shut. It was like a scene from hell. _

_By the time Shizune was too traumatized to scream out anything, the entire concert hall was bathed in blood. Her hands were dyed red, her dressed stained a rich crimson as the bodies of guest laid all around her with blood oozing out from their offices. _

_"Mother…please…help me…!" Shizune sobbed. "The killer…the killer is still-!"_

_The woman who spent her entire life nurturing her precious child paled and skittle back. "No! Stay away!" she screamed. "Stay back! You monster!" she pleaded hysterically, gazing at Shizune like she was the personification of death itself. _

_"N-No…please…!" The purple-haired musician sobbed silently, whispering her pleas under the fear that her voice may harm the only person she loved in her entire life. "I can't control it." She begged, walking towards her mother. "Mother…please…!"_

_The woman kicked her away. "I have no child…not a monster like you." _

_Sobbing, Shizune gathered her flute and whatever possessions left and ran away from the carnage-filled music hall. Before she left the vicinity she took one last look at the blood-stained auditorium and saw her mother hugging the lifeless corpse of her husband, a look of pure loathing on her face before she broke down and hugged her dearest. _

_It was then she realized._

_She was the one who killed…she was the killer._

_"SHE'S THE KILLER! GET HER! SHE'S THE ONE WHO DID THIS! GET HER!"_

_Sobbing, Shizune hobbled away from the crime scene before the sound of police sirens wailed in the air, unsure of what her life has become now that her most precious talent…was now her deadliest weapon._

_=[Months later]=_

_Shizune prayed every day to whatever god she knew. She didn't pray for her safety. She didn't pray for help. She just wanted a quick death. _

_The police had worked fast. News of the a music concert performed by one of Musutafu's music prodigies had gone horribly wrong, resulting in the death of 60 audience members, their auditory organs shattered and all died from heart attacks. One was spared, but her mind was broken and spent the rest of her life in a mental hospital. And finally, the prodigy musician herself was missing…and the case was identified as a cruel villain attack and kidnapping._

_Shizune spent her days wondering in the shadows of Musutafu City. She removed herself from society and dared not appeared in the public under the fear of someone recognising her. If she was taken to the police…they would no doubt question her newly-manifested quirk and link the deaths back to Shizune. With her voice turned into a weapon, she did not dare utter a word. With no family left and no friends to turn to, Shizune spent her days wandering about lost…hungry…and devastated._

_She found out that by using her flute, she could create hallucinations in people's minds which caused them to go mad. But every time her lips connect to her instrument, the screams of her victims would come and haunt her, and ultimately terrify her. Life no longer had any meaning for her and she slept every night continuously being plagued by nightmares. _

_"Poor thing…so you're the girl whose quirk went berserk, aren't you?" She was surprised to see a smartly-dressed man standing before her dishevelled figure. "I mean you no harm…I just want to talk." The strange man greeted, but the greedy look in his eyes made Shizune extremely wary._

_"Stay back," she finally whispered in a trembling voice. "Don't make me kill you."_

_"You're a killer…no matter what you do, there's nothing that can change this fact." The man laughed lightly and extended his hand. "You can no longer turn back…but I can show you a path where you can be reveled for your gifts…a future where you can be forgiven for your sins."_

.

**=[Flashback end]=**

And so she killed…and killed…and killed even more. But how much more must she kill to earn forgiveness?

"I m-must protect him…he promised me…!" Shizune coughed, feeling like her throat's on fire. "I-I want to be f-forgiven…!"

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, SHIZUNE?!" Jackal's voice howled above her. "KILL HIM! KILL THAT BRAT! IF YOU DON'T KILL HIM NOW…YOU'LL HAVE NO WHERE TO BELONG!"

"Shut up…what right does a weakling like you have…" Shepherd gritted his teeth. "…TO TELL HER TO LIVE OR DIE?!"

"…You are a killer…just like me." Said Shepherd, who had been crucified against the wall from the initial shockwave of Siren's voice, said in a wheezing voice. "You cannot change that fact."

"A…a…" Siren's eyes shook with terror and another scream was unleashed. "Uwa…Aa…Aaaa…Aaaaaaah!"

Shizune let forth another banshee-like scream and blasted Shepherd's body away, which was thrown like a ragdoll and caused him to crash again into the wall. The boy's ears were bleeding and his brain felt like it was being scrambled from the inside-out. His entire nervous system felt like it's on fire and his heart was beating at a dangerous pace. If it wasn't for his regeneration…he would have been a goner a long time ago.

"No! No! No! NO! NOO!" shouted Shizune as she continued to unleash her death-inducing voice. "I have no choice! I have to keep killing! I WANT A PLACE WHERE I CAN BELONG!"

"That's…something the weak tell themselves to escape from reality!" Shepherd howled over the noise. "How long are you going to follow that man's orders?! How much are you going run away from your sins?! Are you going to stay as a weak little girl who takes orders from someone who doesn't care for you?! SAY IT! WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO!"

Shizune stopped her quirk. It took her a few seconds…but she whispered with tears leaking down her teal eyes.

"My name is Hichikiri Shizune…I love music…and ice-cream. I killed 60 people, and…"

"…I-I don't want to kill anyone else…"

**_*SLASH!*_**

A slashing noise cut through the brief moment of silence. "Eh?" Shizune creaked her head downwards to see a thin blade of toxic sludge piercing through her belly and past her back, burying her in the wall behind them.

"H-How are you…m-moving…?!" She croaked in a bloody voice.

"I can't hear very well now…I tore out my eardrums…!" Shepherd rose to his feet slowly, the sides of his head bleeding heavily. "Your voice produces ultrasonic waves that attack the auditory nerves no matter how much one blocks it…so I just had to remove them, simple as that."

The sludge around Shepherd's arm morphed into many spears and stabbed Shizune, twisting and expanding, getting the violet-haired girl to scream in pain as she felt her flesh tore up and toxins seeping into her body.

"A quirk that is fueled by fear…and your desire for repentance," Shepherd stated as he walked towards Shizune. "…You don't belong here. Your heart is weak…your resolve to kill is weak as well…a person who seeks her own death on the battlefield does not have any hope of winning."

In response to his words, Shizune's teal eyes were filled with terror. Shepherd finally reached the girl, quickly removing the sludge blades pinning Shizune and threw her against the ground, his purple eyes glinting evilly in the dim light as they gazed at her coldly, cold black sludge swirled around the white-hair boy menacingly.

"Now that you have calmed down a little, you can stay here and wait for a quiet death while I find your 'brother'. If you choose to stand in my way for the third time, I will not hesitate to cut you down."

"P-Please wait," Shizune coughed, raising a hand and begged in a raspy voice, probably from overusing her quirk. "Jackal is all that I have left!" Her voice continued to plead as Shepherd walked out of the room. "If you kill him…I have nowhere else to go to! So…p-please…!"

Shepherd paused for a while, before he moved towards his final prey.

"…Like I care." He never looked back and the sound of his echoing footsteps resounded silently into the hospital.

.

**=[To Be Continued]=**


	8. Mission Accomplished

A/N: For those who have been reading this story, I must give a small apology for making some small changes to the story along the way. I slight changed the outfit and the way Shepherd attacks…but other than that, the storyline has not been altered in any way. The reason why I use the German language for my OC…is partially because his looks are modelled after a German Shepherd! It sounds cool! Sorry, but I have to make a few small changes to Siren's quirk as well.

On to reviews:

Weslyschraepen: Thanks for that! It really made me cry! The story is a little unnatural since it's my first time writing a dark OC, but I'm glad you liked it!

Guest: His parents will have a small part…in the future. They are currently divorced for reasons only I know.

Raven Mordrake: Her powers are indeed inspired by her, but her personality is completely different. Glad you asked!

Now, onwards!

.

.

**Chapter 8: Mission Accomplished.**

.

**=[Musutafu Outskirts, Washiki District, Gekai Private Hospital]=**

.

**=[Gekai Private Hospital. Basement]=**

The sound of feet rushing down the stairs echoed throughout the hospital, and a furious Jackal could be seen running to the deepest levels of the hospital.

_That damn brat, I shouldn't have bothered killing him and bailed from the start_, Jackal cursed to himself as he made his way down to where his merchandise was kept. He could have sworn he could hear the boy's footsteps coming closer and closer with every breath he took. He had watched his lackeys being mercilessly cut down by that monstrosity, their bodies blighted and poisoned or even sliced apart by sludge. Every single plan he had concocted to kill that infuriating brat went up in smoke, even Siren's sure-kill quirk was ineffective against that boy's regeneration.

Within a mere matter of hours, everything he had built up for himself had been ruined, his riches…his power…his plans to rule the underground market…everything had gone up in smoke. Up till now, he was ready to make the biggest deal of his life, until that brat from the League came along.

Useless…every single one of them. Jackal thought to himself again in anger. If only Scourge wasn't so cocky and finished him off properly. If only Mustard chose not to flap his big mouth and back-stabbed Shepherd quickly. If only Vulture never agitated him from the very start…Jackal would have thought of better measures to deal with Shepherd. And finally, if only Siren had listened to him more and used her Ultrasonic scream against Shepherd while he wasn't aware of her quirk…that girl had needed so much coaxing just to get a simple task done for goodness sake. To think that all these years he had sheltered her, she was still so ungrateful for not being handled over to the heroes. If he were to make it out here alive, he was determined to discard her; no need for disobedient puppets after all.

But even if he blamed his subordinates, he knew for a fact that Shepherd was never a normal opponent to begin with.

He wasn't a villain…no…he was a monster wearing human skin.

Jackal made his way to the basement via a different way, his goal and destination clear in sight. According to the memories he had attained from Shepherd via his [Brain Eater] quirk, the boy himself was sent here to reclaim the League of Villain's stronghold for their 'Noumu' creations. If that's the case, those kids he had ensnared in the basement of the hospital were still useful.

If he could use one of the kids he captured as a hostage, even that aberrant dog from the League would not dare harm them. He would use that opportunity to escape and get out of this place. The merchandise can be reclaimed another day; what matters most was his own survival. Once he got out, he could form another group and start another 'business venture', the plan was perfect.

"Almost there…!" he panted, jumping down the stairs and he saw his mind-broken prisoners sitting there like good little boys and girls. He grinned gleefully at this, calming his initial panicking heart, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. He hasn't lost yet.

He was about to continue moving when suddenly, giant black blade-like extensions slashed the space before him, blocking the path ahead. He yelled in fright, falling to the ground unfitting of his smart appearance. "…Back to the basement? You sure love running in circles, don't you?" the voice of Shepherd uttered a demonic growl as he emerged from the top of the stairs, gazing down on Jackal's figure like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey. "…It's about time you stop relying on your lackeys, and face me yourself, weakling."

Jackal found himself rooted on the spot. The leader of 'Scavenge' realized the tips of his fingers were shaking. No matter how many people he had played against with, no matter how often he fought with his wits, the ex con-man who had always gotten out of tight spots now trembled before this boy.

"You psychopathic beast…!" Jackal spat.

"…you have really made this whole fiasco unexpectedly difficult…!" Shepherd let out a soft grumble. "…I have to report this to Sensei fast…so I really appreciate it if you stop running…"

Something about the boy's psyche was different…he was fundamentally different from the rest. He has a thinking of a small child…but the savagery on par with a mad beast. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead with every step Shepherd took, each descent of his armored boots guaranteed Jackal's promised demise even more and more.

_"I need a hostage!"_ Jackal looked around frantically and made a mad dash towards the patients.

A wall of sludge shot out before Jackal could even react and block his path. "…don't you dare add more unnecessary elements into this farce. I had it with people in this building trying to win with petty tools and tricks."

_"I can't use a hostage anymore…!"_ Jackal cursed.

"…with this, you can no longer hide behind someone else anymore," Shepherd regarded Jackal with a cold glare. "…your quirk [Brain Eater], only applies to those whom you have touched with your hands. Without anyone to help you, you are nothing but a petty weakling."

"You…! You insufferable brat…! Listen…how much do you want? I can pay you twice-no, trice the amount the League of Villain is paying you! Boy, riches are just right around the corner; the money will be rolling in the morning when my client comes to collect these children tomorrow! Join me Shepherd, and I shall promise you a future where you can live in luxury and prestige!"

Shepherd stopped right in front of the begging man, purple eyes pulsing with disgust and hatred. "…I have quite enough with you. I was kind of expecting more of the leader, even for a ragtag group, but it seems reality is cruel to me."

"L-Look here. Let's not be hasty, we can talk about this." There was no way in hell he was going to compromise with this brat. Having a kid calling him a mere 'Weakling' got the man to well up with rage. The boy could belittle him for all he wanted, but not without paying with his life. Discreetly, Jackal clutched the handle of the gun he had hidden in the innermost pocket of his suit, while he expertly distracted Shepherd's attention with his other hand. "I think we can work out something which can benefit the both of us-you don't have to kill me! I can help you!"

"So noisy…Sensei's orders are to investigate the whereabouts of the owner of this hospital and kill any supposed threats to the League." Shepherd cut him off. "…you have sealed your death the moment you decided to barge in here killed the previous owner. No matter how much you beg, it will not change anything."

_There's no use talking to this kid!_ Jackal froze and contemplated his final option. He cocked his handgun.

"But before you die…there is one thing I must ask," Shepherd suddenly said. "Is there a way to return all these patients back to normal?"

_Back to normal!? What a stupid brat! There's no way he could do that; once a person's mind been broken to pieces, there was no fixing it. But this could work for him!_ Jackal smirked as he replied. "Yeah…there is. But could you promise that you won't hurt me? If you can let me go, I can undo the effects of my quirk on those kids over there. Promise me that first, and I'll-!"

A sludge blade slashed the air and made a cut on Jackal's arm, cutting him off mid-sentence and causing him to scream in great pain. "…letting you live?" Shepherd repeated with a glare. "…You still think you can wiggle out of the hole you dug for yourself? If you think I'm going to let you off under any circumstances, you are solely mistaken…!"

Jackal did not have time to scream as tendrils of sludge snaked towards him and wrapped around his limbs, bounding him tightly and preventing him from escaping.

"WHY!? DON'T YOU WANT TO SAVE THEM?!" Jackal screamed hysterically. In response, four sludge whips lashed out and pierced Jackal in both of his arms and legs; crucifying him and lifting the [Brain Eater] quirk user high into the air.

"…Save? Don't misunderstand…" Shepherd gave a dark laugh. "My utmost priority is to kill you."

Jackal pulled out his handgun and fired at Shepherd's face in one last-ditch attempt. However, the sludge controlled by the white-haired boy moved fast, super-compressing themselves into a shield and blocked every bullet. As he inched his way closer to the trapped Jackal, and the man ran out of bullets, an overwhelming sense of dread overcame Jackal's body.

"M-My years of effort…my ambitions…! B-By someone like you…!" Jackal gurgled, blood pouring into his lungs.

"…You're not even worth toying around with." Shepherd regarded him coldly. "So just die quickly."

"**Schwarz…**" Shepherd's fist glistened black. The sludge responded to his fury and morphed into a massive beast's head with snapping teeth, shooting forward and spinning like a spiraling tornado of fangs and concentrated all the sludge Shepherd had accumulated in one point. **"…GEMETZEL ANSTURM! **(Carnage Blitz of the Black Beast)"

Just as the giant black spear-like attack reached Jackal, the man saw his life flash before his eyes. As if his [Brain Eater] quirk was activating on its own and watching his own memories, he saw his childhood when he was bullied for having a dangerous quirk, the ostracizing he suffered in the workforce, his deeds starting out as a con-man, the screams of those he forcibly used his quirk on, the faces of the people he trampled on, and the face of Shizune as he used her after he brought her out of the slums. He couldn't recall when she started calling him her brother…but he had gotten so used to it even though it was annoying.

_"Why am I even thinking about such pointless stuff?"_ he thought. _"It's your win…you monster-!"_

The sludge rotated furiously like a meat blender, mincing Jackal entirely until he was reduced to a blood puddle and a couple of bone fragments. The attack didn't stop, it reached the ceiling and tore through the building, making the entire establishment rumble.

Shepherd just gave a frown as he saw what was left of Jackal, giving an unsatisfied huff. The sludge retreated back to Shepherd's side and seeped back into his body. But his purple eyes remained their maddeningly savage state, just as they have been before.

Expending sludge of such a large amount took quite a toll on Shepherd's body, but nevertheless he trudged towards the other occupants in the basement with a tired grunt.

He sharply turned on his heel and made his way to the holding cells where the hospital patients were imprisoned. Even from here, he could smell the putrid stench of the unwashed environment and the disgusting stench of disease. Apparently, Jackal really made no effort to treat them like human beings, the now-dead villain leader thought of them as mere 'merchandise' to line his pockets. He willed the sludge to enforce his arm into a giant black claw, and slashed down the iron bars with a few swipes. He stepped inside.

The sight made him grimaced further.

The whole damn place was filled with bodies close to death. Some of them looked starve as though they have never eaten for days. Some were lying down with their eyes gazing aimlessly at the ceiling. Some had parts of their body torn off and looked like they were chewed upon – it was probably that cannibal Scourge. Some had been diseased thanks to the unhygienic environment.

This hospital had been transformed into a disgusting compound of human trafficking.

That nasty feeling returned again…just why? Shepherd gritted his teeth as he saw a small boy with black hair lying by the wall closest to him. His legs and arms were bound together, lacerations were found all over his body, and bruises sported all over his face…he must have struggled hard before falling victim to Jackal's quirk. His eyes were glazed over, the signs of death written across his face. "I'm sorry…looks like some of you are already done for huh?"

Why was he apologizing for? Some of these ill youths were destined to be transported to the League in order to be transformed into those disgusting creatures called Noumu by their creator, Daruma Ujiko. He wasn't here to save them…their fates were to be sold to the League. He was a hypocrite for saying sorry…he wasn't even a hero.

Honestly, he could not be bothered by others, but seeing them in such a state seemed to keep triggering some lost memory in Shepherd. _Was I like that before…? Why do I keep feeling this way?_ Unanswered questions were littering his mind.

He was so lost in his murky thoughts, that he didn't notice a shadow creeping up behind him.

However, at this moment, a flying blur came rushing towards Shepherd. The [Toxic Sludge] quirk villain felt his body knocked to the ground and a bloody figure was towering over him, fists slamming over his body repeated like a rabid beast. It took some time before Shepherd could recognize his mysterious attacker.

"…you again?"

"HAAAKAAAZUUUKAAAA!"

From his bloody face to the pitch-black infections disfiguring his facial features, it was Torishima who had finally woken up from all the action happening in the entire building. But it was doubtful if he was capable of human speech anymore as he was screaming at Shepherd with his voice odd and distorted. Perhaps it was a bad idea to bite off his ear in the beginning, seeing how the toxins had changed him.

With the gun given by Jackal destroyed, he pummeled Shepherd with his fists and fury, a large amount of blood being vomited out of his mouth as he flung himself at Shepherd. He was no longer a thug, but rather a desperate lunatic at the end of his tether.

"…get off me." Shepherd knocked Torishima off him with a powerful kick and sent him crashing to the ground. As he was about to get back up, another kick mercilessly found its mark at his stomach while he was still on all-fours. Torishima could feel his ribs cracked due to the impact, and more blood dribbled down his mouth.

Shepherd gripped Torishima's neck and raised him up into the air, and the latter began to thrash about violently.

"Yuu…! Iz's Al your Falt! If iz not fo yuu…mine life would half bee perfect!"

Why was this guy so adamant on attacking him? Aside from the nasty vibes Shepherd was getting from this boy, he had no recollections of meeting him before. To be honest, he was flowing with so much grudge and hatred that its unnerving Shepherd.

"…I have no idea who you are, but right now…you are just plain pathetic."

"IZ'S AL YUR FALT! YUR SUIZIDE BUSTAZD!"

"…of all the people here I have met today, you are the most pathetic. You don't have a shred of power or authority in you, yet you flaunt like you actually do. You are weak…and yet you try to act like a bigshot. Even amongst lowly villains like us, it looks like you're the lowest of the low."

"I'LR KILL JU! DESINITELTY, I'LR KILL JU!" Torishima became further enraged and insane from Shepherd's words.

"YUR SUIZIDE BUSTARD!"

Shepherd felt something snap in him as Torishima's voice resonated within his mind. His heart was beating chaotically, feeling like it's about to explode. His hands shook uncontrollably as a familiar migraine began to boil his mind alive, making his facial features cringed painfully.

_T-This guy…! W-what did he do…?!_

Strange images began to writhe angrily in his mind, some flashing before his eyes, and others proceeding before him so slowly; their contents slowing agonizing him. They were all over the place, and echoing voices resounded within him.

_What was happening to him?_

**YOU SHOULD BE SAYING 'Please stop!' LEARN SOME MANNERS YOU QUIRKLESS BASTARD!**

Quirkless…I'm not quirkless…

**WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING ANYTHING, KOTARO!**

Wh-who is that…Why does that name keep sounding so-

**How many minutes can you hold your breath huh~?**

N-No…P-please…stop it…!

**If you don't shape up and get some friends, how do you think you are going to survive in society?!**

It's not my fault…IT'S NOT MY FAULT!

**Deku's a quirkless nobody who is stupid enough to believe in an impossible dream, and you are just a useless busybody who has a death wish.**

His mind was reeling, and his head felt like it was about to explode. His teeth grinded together as he cast a death glare towards the one who started this unknown pain and lifted him high into the air. "…YOU…WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME…?!" He had to kill him…he had to make the pain stop. He wanted this pain which was forever haunting him to end.

Ignoring the boy's cursing and swearing, Shepherd raised the boy's head high and repeatedly slammed it to the ground and grinding his face to the concrete. This boy was really starting to get on Shepherd's nerves. The more he beat the [Pterodactyl] quirk boy into a bloody pulp, the more anguish he felt, like supressed emotions were finally being released in a big tsunami. He gave a feral roar as rage fuelled him to continue beating the boy down with his bare hands.

Strange…why did such a weakling instil such a huge amount of hatred in him? Why do I feel so relieved…so angry…so sad? A massive swarm of unknown emotions was making Shepherd's vision blurry as the [Toxic Sludge] user kept on punching, unable to hold back. Why was he feeling this way? He can't stop; he doesn't want to. It was the only way to break free of the pain…the only way to continue living.

"It's all your fault…!" Shepherd heard himself mutter much to his confusion. Why was he saying those words? "Because of you…because of you…BECAUSE OF YOU-!" The blood roared in his ears, and an expression full of pure hatred Shepherd didn't even know he had was displayed in full view.

So he continued to pummel the boy even though he has already fainted, an anguished roar came out of Shepherd's throat as the sight of the boy continued to give him a horrible feeling.

_Kill…kill…kill…kill…!_

The scariest part was that for a moment, an eerie shrilling cry of a child seemed to overlap his pained voice. **"GO AWAY…AND JUST DISAPPEAR!" **Shepherd screamed, his hand raised up and morphed into a sludge lance. But the moment he jabbed forward, a black portal swallowed his arm whole and diverted the attack.

"That's quite enough."

Kurogiri appeared behind his fellow League member, his arm raised to activate his [Warp Gate] quirk, and harboured a warning gaze. "Looks like you still need to work on keeping your emotions in check, Shepherd."

"…Kurogiri?" he hissed, throwing aside the unconscious Torishima in his grasp.

"Shepherd." Kurogiri addressed the boy with his eyes narrowed, and gave a stern glare.

The boy seemed surprised by his sudden appearance and his eyes shifted away from Torishima's bloodied face until they landed on the [Warp Gate] bartender of the League.

"You…how long have you been here? I thought I said I'll take care of this by myself."

"I'm here to bring you back, and I couldn't help but walk in when I heard the noise." Kurogiri told him. "Normally I would have left this to your own devices, but I'm afraid we are short on time. The noise of your fights had attracted the attention of multiple outsiders, and it's only a matter of time until the heroes make their way here to investigate. As such…I'm here to make sure you have finished your task properly."

Shepherd's eyes glowed a dangerous purple.

"…Don't get in my way…I'm almost done." He responded. "…all that's left is cleaning up the trash."

"I say you've done quite enough. You destroyed nearly every single individual I have seen upon entering here. You have reduced the mastermind to nothing. Your attack had even destabilised the structural integrity of this hospital," Kurogiri was glad he came to check, knowing that Shepherd's mental state has not stabilised fully.

Shepherd's arm turned into a blur and a massive projectile of sludge was launched straight towards Kurogiri. The misty villain just conjured a black portal and transported the attack elsewhere, nullifying the attack completely.

"…I said I'll finish this up, understand?" Shepherd told him furiously. "You think you can stop me, Kurogiri?"

"I'm not here to fight, but to help you." Kurogiri said, raising his arms to ready his [Warp Gate] quirk. "You can't just keep giving into your impulses Shepherd, you have to calm down-!"

"…Shut up." Shepherd then let loosed a torrent of sludge shards and Kurogiri countered with a portal, blocking the obsidian barrage. Seeing this, Shepherd gave a crazed giggle, "…I don't need help…in fact, I feel great. Mowing down those who opposed Sensei brings me the ultimate satisfaction…even if they're weaklings. I'm not so weak that I need your help!"

The misty bartender looked at him for a few seconds.

"I never once said you're weak." Kurogiri narrowed his yellow silted eyes. "But seeing how you are close to beating a half-dead boy to death, you are giving me quite the reason to say otherwise."

"…What are you saying Kurogiri…?" the boy said maniacally, sludge dripping down his arms in copious amounts, "Isn't our job to slaughter those who dared opposed the League? I'm doing just that!"

Sludge splashed down on the area Kurogiri once stood, while the misty villain himself collapse upon himself and materialized again in front of Shepherd, thus beginning their fight. Kurogiri narrowed his glowing eyes as he felt how violent Shepherd was, but having experienced the boy's battle-hungry tendencies, he calmly countered every single one of Shepherd's sludge attacks. He merely continued to stand his ground while being bathed in Shepherd's predatory aura.

"…you know, I've always wanted to see how I fared against you. Someone as strong as you being the League's barkeep is such a waste!" Shepherd grinned a dark dangerous smile, morphing his sludge to bladed tendrils and launched them towards Kurogiri. "…Let's find out, shall we?!"

"You think too highly of me." Kurogiri said as he continued to conjure portal after portal to deflect Shepherd's crazy onslaught; the youth displaying his superb control over his toxic sludge despite his beast-like behaviour. The boy had his sludge continuously swirling around his arms in large amounts as he winded himself for a big attack, the sludge transforming into a snarling dog's head.

"…There's a limit to how big you can make your portals Kurogiri!" Shepherd yelled. "It's useless when I do THIS! **SCHWARZ…**" Shepherd's fist glistened black. The sludge twisted and morphed into a hound's head with snapping teeth, shooting forward like a spiralling tornado of fangs and concentrated all the sludge Shepherd had accumulated into a hellish drill. **"…GEMETZEL ANSTURM! **(Carnage Blitz of the Black Beast)"

The huge sludge spear attack which minced away Jackal to nothing but a blood puddle with its huge range was about to be launched. A dark grin grew upon Shepherd's lips as his eyes grew even brighter at how Kurogiri was going to react to this but to his shock…a dark swirling mass manifested under the boy's feet.

"…from under me?" he said, shock evident in his voice.

"There's no need for me to block it," Kurogiri then created a warp gate under Shepherd's feet, causing the boy to lose his balance and unleashed his attack towards the ceiling instead, destroying yet another major portion of the hospital.

Shepherd was soon trapped with half of his body stuck within the misty bartender's portal, the same with his hands and feet, putting him in a complete lockdown. "And it's about time for you to calm down."

The portal restrains tightened around Shepherd's limbs, and began to dig into the boy's flesh. His flesh tried to regenerate but Kurogiri's hold was preventing his body from forming back to its normal state. He could feel the portal tightening even more and squeezing him, making black spots appear in Shepherd's vision.

"You once told me that unlike Shigaraki, you don't kill needlessly." Kurogiri asked softly. "Were those words merely a lie? What has happen to you, Shepherd?"

Shepherd could feel himself growing weaker as the seconds ticked by and he slumped over, his breathing becoming laboured. The pain was returning…there was nothing he could do to stop it. He didn't want this…n-no…pain is for the weak…if he's weak…he had to go through one of Sensei's 'guidance' sessions again. He was subjected to this because he couldn't control himself, wasn't he?

"Power is meaningless without reason." Kurogiri continued. "If you keep giving in to your impulses, you are nothing but a howling beast. How long do you plan to make us treat you like one?"

That dangerous feeling from before was slowly diminishing, and the madness in Shepherd's eyes softened considerably. Upon recalling how unsightly he fell from losing control, the [Toxic Sludge] user could only grit his teeth in shame.

"Kurogiri…" Shepherd whispered, "…I-I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…! I don't want to disappoint Sensei anymore…I just want to prove to him…I-I not weak…!"

"Shepherd…relax," Kurogiri loosened the hold of his warp gate prison. "Like I said…I'm here to help. Every single individual in this building has either been killed or severely incapacitated. You have completed Sensei's task magnificently; I'm merely here to collect you."

Kurogiri slowly released Shepherd and set him back to the ground.

"Have you calmed down a little?"

"…Yeah, sorry about that…" Shepherd coughed, rising to his feet unsteadily.

"It's just my duty to assist my fellow villains in the League," Kurogiri answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Now, would you care to explain the current situation to me?"

**=[]=**

And so, Shepherd summarized everything which had happened from the moment he entered the den of the villain group who occupied the hospital.

"I see," Kurogiri nodded. "A shame for Zuruichi Gekai, but it was a good thing you managed to suppressed Jackal; a person with a intel-based quirk like that would be quite a thorn to the League. I'll gather up the corpses of the villain group, but what about the patients here? I understand that some of them are meant to be transported to the League in secret for the Doctor's Noumu creation."

"No…don't bother." Shepherd growled, looking at the barely conscious boy whom he had destroyed to a half-death state earlier; Torishima. "Use those idiots who dared intrude on the League's territory whose bodies are still intact; it would be a befitting punishment for them to be used as the League's soldiers from now on."

"Understood. What about these children here then?"

"…Send them outside. They have been trapped in here for long enough," Shepherd demanded, casting one last glance at the patients whom the villains had imprisoned in this basement for weeks. "Their minds are broken…they can't even say a word anymore. Just chuck them elsewhere…I rather not have them crushed to death when this place falls apart."

"Are you sure?" Kurogiri was mildly surprised by Shepherd's action; it was the first time he decided something out of his own volition. "Just letting them go? Just like that?"

"…I've seen enough for today." Shepherd left no room for negotiation. "Having them die for nothing will leave a bad taste in my mouth."

"…Come on, transport those two already," said Shepherd as he pointed to the unmoving body of Torishima. "There's still one last thing I have to take care of before this building falls apart."

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**=[Gekai Private Hospital. Second level]=**

Siren was in a bad condition. Multiple holes were made on her limbs and she no longer had any power to stand. The wounds have started to be blighted with Shepherd's toxins from the sludge, making her feverish and constantly groan in pain. Her throat was swollen, and with the continuous over usage of her [Psychosis] quirk, left her with a broken voice. But she was still conscious.

Suddenly, the air in the room seemed to warp and twist, before a black swirling matter manifested out of thin air. Before Siren could say anything to this weird phenomenon, a familiar white-haired boy in a battered black jacket stepped out of the black mass. In addition, the 'black mass' also formed two glowing yellow eyes before appearing behind Shepherd as a faceless, misty man in a bartender's uniform.

"Is this the last one?" the dark mist man asked the boy. "Another of Jackal's subordinates?"

"…Yeah, her name is Siren. But she's a special case…I have other plans for her."

She turned her head and understood quickly after seeing Shepherd walking towards her, slightly banged up but victorious.

"Kill me…" said Shizune, with repetitive bloody coughs in her chest. "Jackal is gone…I no longer have a place in this world, nor a chance to seek forgiveness for my sins. I thought Jackal might grant my wish…but at least, with my life, I can apologize to everyone I killed."

Shizune's expression was stoic, but it was easy to tell that she was trying to endure the pain of the toxins. It was easy to kill her now. Shepherd stood beside her, and looked at her with cruel eyes.

"…I'll make this quick." Shepherd grabbed hold of the girl's neck, applying enough pressure to make her winced in pain. "Ugh…!"

The black blights on Shizune's body began to squirm and move as though they were alive, compressing themselves to where Shepherd was touching her and Shizune's face distorted with pain. However, she did not possess the strength left to resist or even raise her voice. If he continued like this, she was most certain that her throat will be crushed or the poison would do its job.

"Mo…ther…" A tear fell down the side of Shizune's face. "I'm sorry, Mother…for taking everything from you that day…this monster…can finally be gone from your eyes…!"

"…stop squirming, it's hard to remove the sludge like this."

"Huh?"

Shepherd continued to work in silence. His face sweated considerably as the black spots infecting Shizune converged and oozed out of Shizune as a considerably-sized orb of black matter. It wiggled a little before being re-absorbed back into Shepherd's body.

"…It is done." Shepherd removed his hand from her neck.

"H-How…?"

"…I produce and control sludge. Something like this is nothing but a simple matter."

Shizune coughed, and watched Shepherd with a flabbergasted expression. "W-Why…? Didn't you want me dead?"

"…My job does not involve me in assisting suicides." Having said that, Shepherd promptly supported Shizune by the shoulder with surprising gentleness and started walking towards the exit with Kurogiri.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Shizune asked weakly. "My quirk is carnage-incarnated; wouldn't it be better for you to kill a potential threat? I'm a killer-"

"…I don't care," Hearing this, Shepherd merely scoffed. "Honestly…I don't know myself. Maybe it has been a crazy day for me, and I just don't feel like killing any more. If it consoles you, there's no way your quirk can kill me, so you're of no threat to me whatsoever."

"Even if you let me live now…there is nowhere else for me to go," Shizune continued, gazing towards the ground as they exited the hospital. "It would be better if you left me for dead-"

"…If I hear one more word, I'll slit your throat right on the spot." Shepherd glowered, making the stoic girl flinched slightly. "I'm sure that I don't know what you been through…but the pain of your past has nothing to do with who you are now. Make a choice: you can either die and wallow yourself in self-pity like a weakling…or prove to others that there's something else you can do other than killing. It's that simple."

"…a choice…I still have a choice?" Shizune whispered softly.

Soon enough, the three of them were completely out of the medical establishment. Shepherd took a look at the hospital, now being bathed in the warm light of the rising sun. It was only a matter of time until the police arrived from all that racket he made in the basement earlier. The last thing he needed was evidence to show that this location was one of the League's territory.

It was going to be a pain…but there's one last thing for him to do.

"…Don't move or you'll open up your wounds." Shepherd said monotonously, placing the purple-haired girl on the ground. "How much more time do we have Kurogiri?"

"The heroes will be here soon enough." The dark misty villain told him. "I've transported the corpses and those prisoners outside as per your instructions, but there's bound to be evidence left behind which the police may use to trace this location back to the League."

"…so it's easier if the building never existed right?" Shepherd took a step forward and extended his arm, letting his toxic sludge ooze down overflowingly.

Kurogiri noticed his actions and couldn't help but ask. "What are you planning to do?"

"Destroy this place once and for all." He declared as a massive amount of sludge poured out, easily ten times the amount he had fought with in all of his battles, but the mere effort of controlling it was threatening to break his body. The black mass twisted and morphed endlessly like a living abomination, like a hungry beast ready to devour anything in its sights.

Shepherd aimed his sights at the ruined hospital. "**Schwarz…**" he hissed, the monstrous amount of toxic black sludge swirled like a twisted tornado and morphed into a towering contruct resembling a gigantic jaw of a monster. It opened its 'mouth' and loomed over the three-storey building, making it look like some hungry beast let loose from the depths of hell. Shepherd clenched his fist. "**GEFÄNGNIS KIEFER!** (Black Prison Jaw of the Black Beast)"

Shizune wondered if it's possible for such a monster-like quirk to exist. She stared with her mouth slightly agape as the sludge devoured the entire building and riddled it with endless spikes like an iron maiden. The building crumbled into many pieces, and it broken down to the ground with a thunderous crash.

She could only gaze at the white-haired boy in awe, the latter tiredly making his way back to them with much difficulty.

_This time…I can make Sensei proud…_

Shepherd wanted to say those words…but what came out of his lips were…

"Ugh…so tired…," he muttered, and with that, he unceremoniously fell to the ground, fainted with exhaustion.

.

**=[To be Continued]=**

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A/N: Write a review on what you think! Thanks for reading!


	9. Trouble in Hosu

A/N: For those who have been reading this story, I have changed the name and slightly altered the quirk of Shizune, also known by her villain name, Siren. The description will be given below.

Oh yes! I have created a character art that shows how Shepherd looks when he fights! I can only show his face her. Take a look and comment on how he looks!

Image link: **deviantart/surrealeon/art/Shepherd-836702599 **(just remember to put the .com behind deviantart.)

On to reviews:

phelipebr: Thanks for the comment! We can slowly see how Shepherd's old emotions are going to surface later in the story.

Raven Mordrake: You're quite close, have a look in the image link above and find out!

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Name: Hichikiri Shizune

Villain name: Siren

Quirk: [Psychosis]

Her vocal cords emit a dangerous frequency which can impair the human brain through sound. Through a flute, she can control and manipulate the five senses and emotions of those who listen to her music. Her quirk can be used to raise morale among allies, or even turn enemies into mindless berserkers.

Excessive usage of her quirk puts strain on her throat. Direct usage through her voice puts massive stress and cause inflammation. Her quirk has less effect on those with high willpower (e.g All-Might). The effectiveness also weakens when used upon the same person. People are less affected the further they are from her.

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**Chapter 9: Trouble in Hosu.**

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**=[League of Villains Hideout]=**

**"So…Zuruichi Gekai was dead all this time?"**

"…From what I could tell, he was already killed two weeks before." Shepherd replied. "…his carcass was found in the basement of his own hospital together with those patients. During that time, the entire establishment was completely taken over."

"So much of your clean-up mission," drawled Shigaraki. "Not only did we lose a source of Noumu production, you even let those patients get away." For Shigaraki, he would do anything to accomplish his goals, be it killing a group of innocents, or even children. As long as they are in the way of his goal, everything would be disintegrated under his fingertips.

Shepherd frowned at Shigaraki's words. "…I'm not like you man-child, I don't get off killing defenseless children."

The pale-blue haired man just tilted his head and glared at Shepherd through the hand-mask hiding his face. "Well look at you now, you almost sounded like a hero! Are you perhaps trying to go against Sensei?" Normally, Shigaraki wouldn't scare Shepherd, but upon the mere mention of Sensei made the [Toxic Sludge] quirk user visibly recoiled. "Maybe the dog needs more obedience training." He said, his tone venomous towards the younger villain for talking back.

**"Enough…Shigaraki."** Sensei's voice broke the silence, his calm voice soothing Shepherd's nerves as soon as his tone indicated that he's not in any way angry. **"As far as I'm concerned, Shepherd has done an excellent job in dispatching the enemy…without making much of a commotion. My goodness, just how long are you two going to bicker like this? If we want to achieve our goal, the cooperation of you two is necessary. How long more do you intend for me to keep emphasizing this point?"**

Shigaraki and Shepherd stared silently at each other, tension quickly saturating the air. It was as though they were daring the other to rebut that impossible sentence, but no one dared said anything to displease their mentor. For Shepherd, the last thing he wanted was to disappoint Sensei just when he finally did his job well. Beads of sweat trickled down both the villains' faces.

After several moments of silence, both of them finally forced the exact same words out. "Yes Sensei…we will try our best…to get along."

**"I'm glad to see both of you so understanding,"** Sensei's cold voice changed back to his usual tone.

All for One chuckled and continued. **"Tomura, Shepherd has indeed done good work this time. It's only right that he deserves praise, especially when he's careful enough not to reveal the League's involvement in the Gekai Hospital Case. Now…I wish to have a few words with Shepherd alone. Would you please…Tomura?"**

For a moment, Shigaraki stayed silent and clawed the chair he was sitting in like he wanted to disintegrate it, a displeased expression on his face; and before long, he finally trudged out with a glare.

"Understood, Sensei."

After he passed by Shepherd, he stopped for an instant, and without looking at Shepherd he said, "Don't get cocky, brat. The one ultimately leading this group...is me."

Then he exited and slammed the door behind him.

**"My my…what a troublesome child. He still has so much maturing to do, but seeing him so insistent on meeting my expectations is making me feel like a proud father. Nothing is wrong with a little rivalry…but do try to get along with Tomura a bit more."** Sensei told, his tone smoothing and calm. **"Relax, Shepherd. You have done me a great deed; you deserve a reward."**

"…Yes…Sensei."

**"But I hear from Kurogiri that you spared the patients from the hospital. Well, I never expected so many of them to be captured, and I never gave any specific instructions regarding survivors…but I must say, I'm curious. Why would you do that? You do know that even if one of them still wasn't permanently brain damaged, the authorities might have traced the incident back to the League."**

"Yes…I did not kill them. My dream is to get stronger…to kill those who stands in both the League's and my way. I promised myself that I will become stronger for Sensei's sake…so that what happened last time won't come to pass…"

All for One paused.

**"The attack on USJ, right?**" Sensei said.** "You're reminding me of the day you broke down and fell under the mercy of the hero students in UA?"**

The color drained away from Shepherd's face. His indifferent expression tensed up and sweat formed on his forehead. "I-!"

"…Yes…that incident…" His knuckles were white from clenching his fists, slightly trembling as he recalled the horrible feeling he felt as he was fighting one of the goons in the hospital last week, his constant rambling triggered some kind of weird images and voices in Shepherd's mind, almost causing him to go insane and attacked Kurogiri. The same thing happened during USJ, from what he could remember. He was trembling as a result of fear…fear of the pain he had to endure if those weird visions kept popping up in his head.

**"Indeed, I have no use for people who are so weak against mere students, and you have re-proven your usefulness. Destroying the hospital may have reduced the number of Noumus we can create, but remaining hidden from the heroes makes it all worthwhile. But what really concerns me is how you are starting to take mercy on the enemy…first you broke down before a hero student, you then spared a lot of civilians who are better off dead, and finally you brought back another villain back to the hideout. Your actions are becoming rather…unpredictable, wouldn't you agree?"**

All for One addressed Shepherd with a cold voice.

The boy himself wasn't listening to his father-figure's words. Cold sweat began to drip, the mere voice of Sensei was exerting a cold force upon the room which caused Shepherd's eyes to shake.

**"Didn't you want to get stronger for my sake? Are you going to get soft on every single enemy from now on? What's happening to you, Shepherd? Are you becoming…weak?"**

"…No, no I, I, I'm not…weak –"

"…I will strive to meet your expectations, always…" His fear, coupled with the horrible memories of Sensei's 'guidance' sessions, Shepherd finally crouched down and squeezed his voice out from behind his chattering teeth. "…I will not be weak. Never, never, never…"

**"I'll believe that,"** All for One told him coolly and put their conversation to a close. **"Now, let's see if we can convince your little friend to join the League. It's been so long since I've someone with quite a remarkable quirk such as hers, so treat her with utmost care."**

"...Understood, Sensei."

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**=[League of Villain's Hideout. Third floor. Medical Bay]=**

There were a few things Shepherd realized about the [Psychosis] quirk girl in the past week she was recovering in the League.

Shizune had a really frail body; malnourished…wounds all over her and the worse part was the severely inflamed throat she had due to her [Psychosis] quirk. The girl didn't love to talk much when Shepherd fought her…but he didn't expect that even speaking causes pain for the girl.

To be honest, her body condition was so weak that Shepherd was slightly impressed that she was able to fight. The boy felt that bringing her to the League was the right decision.

The League had basic medical needs, antibiotics even…but Kurogiri informed him that the girl probably needed professional medical care in a hospital. But Shepherd knew that will never happen; if she goes into a hospital, her face will be traced to the murders she committed and eventually arrested.

She was a villain after all.

Hichikiri Shizune awoke with a dim light swaying over her. It took her a few seconds to realized that she was in a bed with bandages covering her four limbs; the wounds she sustained from fighting Shepherd healed.

"…how are you feeling?" A familiar, male voice spoke out.

"Where is this?" Shizune's voice whispered as she saw the two villains whom she last saw before she passed out from fatigue; the boy known as Shepherd and the black misty villain who can create portals.

_"It's as though she reverted to the way she was during our fight,"_ Shepherd pondered, staring at the young villain he had retrieved about a week ago. She didn't really show any sign of emotion, or react in any way a normal human would in her situation. She gazed upon her captives closely, but fear could be felt in every movement as she turned her head to face the [Toxic Sludge] boy.

_Why did I spare her? This isn't me._

He knew it wasn't, but he just knew that killing her that day wouldn't sit well with him.

"…well then, Shizune." Shepherd began, watching her body tensed and slowly turn around. "You are currently in the League of Villains. Can you talk?"

Shizune's eyes widened slightly, but she turned her head away from him. "So I'm alive…" she murmured; her demeanor indicating no sign of proactive interaction.

Shepherd glanced at her throat, where horrible swelling was hidden beneath a layer of bandages. "…a side-effect of your quirk?"

Shizune awkwardly nodded her head and spoke her answer. "I was forced to use my quirk…and using it through my voice caused inflammation."

"Parent-less…and orphaned. I was taken in by Jackal after my quirk went berserk. He had his eyes on my ability and I helped him in exchange for shelter. Jackal said that if I did not repay his kindness…he would sell me out to the authorities."

Kurogiri looked at her with empathy. "You had a hard life, haven't you?"

The girl looked down at her lap regretfully while caressing her neck, before answering again. "I had no other choice; it was the only way I could live."

"You could have just killed me," She continued, her voice almost inaudible.

Shepherd scowled. "…I thought I warned you not to say that kind of thing. Or are you perhaps still distraught after I killed your leader-"

"Don't get me wrong; ever since I have been under Jackal, I have always wondered whether it was right for a killer like me to keep on living." Shizune replied. "At some point, I wiped my slate clean of all the emotions I had…and killed just so I could have a place away from the heroes. So now that you captured me, what am I supposed to do now?"

"You kept me alive because my [Psychosis] is useful to the League," Shizune went on, her voice cracking. "I understand your reasons. I don't feel angry, or sad…just confused to how I should live on for now on."

"…But now you do." Shepherd responded bluntly, giving the girl a powerful gaze and extended his hand in an invitation. "You said you wanted a place where you can belong, don't you?" Shizune slowly nodded. "…how about being in the League?" Shizune looked at him skeptically.

Kurogiri elaborated, "We would like to extend an invitation to you, to be one of the League's members. Even if you don't want to be associated with us, we can still provide you a safe haven from the heroes in exchange for doing some jobs." A flash of distrust glinted in Shizune's eyes. "We won't ask you to kill, we just want your help in some of our operations." Kurogiri spoke kindly, showing no falsehood in his tone. "We can provide you with a job, food and a safe haven. I say that it's a good deal."

"…"

"Well…we'll give you time to consider," Kurogiri stated, heedless of the girl's silence. "You can give us your answer whenever you are ready. Until then, it would be much appreciated that you do not try to escape-"

"…The Tsujiri Ice-cream Parlour in Hosu City…"

"…what? Ice-cream?" Shepherd frowned at Shizune's sudden words. "…what are you-"

"…tastes good." The girl spoke firmly, the edges of her mouth drooling.

"You mean you wish to eat there?" Kurogiri seemed hardly surprised by this sudden request.

"If I can, I will consider joining the League." The lavender purple-haired girl replied.

Upon hearing this, Kurogiri turned his eyes to a stunned Shepherd, the latter feeling a sense of foreboding.

"…what?"

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**=[League of Villains Hideout. Kurogiri's bar]=**

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"What took you so long? Was it that girl whom you brought back?" Tomura glared at Shepherd through the fingers of his mask; the former grating his fingers over Kurogiri's bar counter as Shepherd entered the room.

"…None of your business," Shepherd snapped as he flopped down on a chair. He can't believe he actually agreed to that girl's ridiculous request, but Sensei already ordered him to treat her with utmost care. "So…why have you bought me here?"

"The Hero Killer that I've been trying to recruit will be here soon, but that guy's real dangerous." Tomura explained as he scratched his neck. "So just stay quiet, sit in the corner and help me out if things get messy in here."

"…So, you actually managed to find him…?" Shepherd had heard stories of how vicious the hero killer was when slaughtering his victims, so he was quite interested to see the real thing. "…so I'm just here to be your bodyguard? After all that trash-talk about me in the morning? How shameless…man-child."

"Don't push it brat. Just listen and follow my instructions." Tomura's chair nearly disintegrated with how hard he was gripping the chair.

Shepherd merely scoffed as he say back in his chair. The boy was actually excited about Stain; the famous hero killer might actually give him the satisfaction he's seeking after a long while. He had searched up Stain, and he was quite…curious with the message he was trying to spread. He wanted to rid the world of fake heroes…which Shepherd honestly did not care much about. Why would he become so strong for such a cause? He could not understand the source of Stain's strength.

"He's here," Shigaraki suddenly said, turning his head towards the dark portal that appeared in the bar, and with the static from the television Shepherd realized that Sensei was listening in as well. Did this 'Stain' pique up Sensei's interest so much? Stepping out of the warp gate was a tall, muscular man with messy black hair, completely dressed to kill with all the knives and swords strapped around his body.

"So, you're the hero killer." Tomura said as he stood up to greet his guest.

"And you're the League of Villains?" Stain's eyes went around the room, from Shigaraki, then to Kurogiri behind the bar, and finally stopping at Shepherd. A brief moment of recognition crossed his features, "Well well, looks like the rumors were true. Shepherd, the rabid hellhound of the League…is fact a kid." He ignored Shepherd's glare as his gaze returned to Tomura. The man was exerting his blood-lust throughout the entire room; a dark aura like a snake carefully observing its prey. Shepherd could tell from first glance, this man…was strong.

"Let's get to the main topic, we'd like to extend an invitation to join us…" Shigaraki began.

"Join you?" Stain glared at the [Decay] quirk user. "And why should I do that? What exactly is your goal?"

"Our goal is very simple. I want to kill All-Might and bring an end to the society that worships him," Tomura declared gleefully from behind his hand-mask.

"How childish," Stain spat back at him. "What is the point of killing without a cause?" The hero killer said as he pulled out one of his swords. This action caused Shepherd to instinctively activate his sludge and readied for combat. Seeing this looming confrontation, Kurogiri looked to the monitor screen with concern. "Sensei?"

**"Let them continue,"** All for One ordered. **"An experienced and infamous villain such as Stain will only inspire Tomura to mature and grow as a leader."**

"…He's fast!" Shepherd watched with fascination as Stain moved with inhumane speed knocking Shigaraki Tomura to the ground and stabbing him through the shoulder with his sword. Kurogiri and Shepherd attempted to aid him (though the latter just wanted to fight a strong opponent), only to get stabbed in the arm and cheek respectively by two well-thrown daggers. The blades were then yanked back to their owner by a tether that Stain had attached beforehand, bringing the blood-covered blade to his tongue to lick it, and rendered the mist-covered bartender and the [Toxic Sludge] user paralyzed. All of this happened in a few seconds.

Seeing this, a mad smile formed on Shepherd's lips as he willed the sludge to twist and form into countless bladed tendrils, lashing them towards Stain. The hero killer was surprised for a moment, but he retreated back a few steps to dodge and jumped high into the air, using his blades to deflect the black sludge from piercing his vitals. This aerial exchange went on until Stain landed back on the ground, casting an interested glance towards the boy.

"That was close…you were really trying to kill me, weren't you?" Stain chuckled evilly. "You must be the famous Shepherd I've been hearing about."

"…the weak perished while the strong lives," Shepherd stated, his sludge swirling around his immobilized body like a living monster. "…That's just how things work..."

"Well said. It seems that there are more interesting individuals in the League then I thought," Stain turned to glare at Shigaraki before focusing his attention on the [Toxic Sludge] Hellhound of the League. "I've heard of your exploits, Shepherd. You killed many heroes just like me…false heroes like Captain Celebrity. Tell me Shepherd…why do you kill? What do you seek from killing those heroes? To expunge the 'fakes' from the society of heroes? To exert your power? To simply…out of enjoyment?"

"…I merely wish to become strong…stronger than anyone else…for Sensei's sake…"

"What? So that's your belief? What a disappointment." Stain scoffed. "You have power…but what you are seeking is nothing but a childish dream; a pointless goal. This path you're walking on…there will be nothing left at the end of the road."

"…What?" Shepherd couldn't understand what this man was talking about.

"Stop blabbering! Oi Kurogiri! Send him away already!" Tomura angrily ordered as he stood back up.

"I can't!" Kurogiri's mist shook a little but he was unable to shift or expand. "His quirk seems to be paralyzing me." He told in a strained voice. Shepherd was also still unable to move his body. Though he still possessed free control over his [Toxic Sludge], being unable to move like this was undoubtedly a pain in the neck. It appears that the hero killer's quirk was activated upon ingesting their blood.

"Power is meaningless without a proper cause…such are today's criminals who are just aimlessly scattering about their 'power'. A self-centered reason such as battling pointlessly…" Stain pointed his blade towards Shepherd like a hunter eyeing his prey. "…will just make you a mere target to be purged by those heroes…and fakes."

"Tch! As if I want a nutcase like you to be a party member, so just go away." Tomura pointed at him.

"My business is done for the day anyway," With Kurogiri now free from Stain's [Bloodcurdle], he turned his glare towards the [Warp Gate] user. "Now, return me to Hosu! There's still some unfinished business I need to take care of." He licked his lips as he said that.

_Hosu? Isn't that where I'm going later?_

Once he was transported away, Shigaraki finally spoke.

"He dares belittle me? I'll show him…!" He said as he rubbed the part where Stain hit him. "Sensei! I need some more Noumus!"

**"Thanks to Shepherd, we just have enough to spare you a few,"** All for One's voice spoke through the screen. **"Use them wisely Tomura. Oh yes Shepherd, would you like to see the Noumus who were made out of your opponents in action?"**

"…Being around those things disgusts me," Shepherd replied with ire lacing his tone at the thought of those grotesque abominations. "…But…Sensei, may I request that I go to Hosu later in the afternoon? There's something I need to do there."

**"Yes?"** Shepherd hurriedly explained the girl's strange request.

All for One sounded vaguely amused by this. **"Well, I supposed you deserve a little vacation for doing your job well."** He said. **"Take care of our newest member then."**

"Understood."

.

**=[Hosu City. Centre Square]=**

Shepherd never loved going out into crowded areas, the sheer noise of the crowd was enough to drive him crazy. Too much was going on around him, and it made it hard for him to concentrate.

But if it was for the sake of recruiting a villain into the League, he did not have any other choice.

Hosu was bustling with activity, despite the various rumors of the Hero Killer making appearances in the last few days. Shepherd pulled the hood of the jacket he was wearing to block out the sun and hid his face even more; his mouth covered with a black mask. Kurogiri had advised him to keep his identity hidden, especially when his face was seen by the heroes during the USJ attack.

Finishing her ice treat, the girl stated. "One more please, Shepherd-san."

"…You do know that you are technically a prisoner, right?" Shepherd scowled, trying his best to suppress the annoying feeling in his mind. "And do not casually call me like that, we are out in the public."

The rabid dog of the League gave a sideway glance at the girl beside him; the latter having a rare smile on her face as she stuffed down the ice treat with gusto. "Alright then," the petite girl took a moment to gaze at Shepherd with a genuine curious expression. "How should I call you then? What is your real name?"

"My name…I don't have…it's Shepherd…"

A frown crossed The boy's features before he sighed in frustration. Shizune heard that, gazing at Shepherd with a concerned look despite the perpetual pain she had been inflicted upon by the boy himself. The girl did not mind it that much; she knew that she would have been dead if Shepherd had pierced her vitals instead. To be honest, she was rather afraid when the boy was instructed to join her to Hosu, but the boy had been rather tamed in the duration of her request.

"…Nevermind that, I would advise you not to move about so much. Sensei told me to treat you with utmost care…" He stated, his voice somewhat lacing with a tone of worry, "…I will follow his orders." He finshed, gazing at the afternoon crowd disinterestedly while waiting for Shizune to finish her food.

"…I see." Shizune nodded. She could not help but be awed by how such a strong villain could hold someone else in such high regard. He was revering his superior like a devote follower. Despite his cold exterior…Shizune could not help but think of him as a child trying to please his parent figure, somehow similar to how she was before.

"Shepherd-san…is that really all there is, following this 'Sensei'?"

Shepherd looked at her with confusion.

"Don't you have a choice…? Other than following him?"

"…Sensei is the reason I live." He told her simply, making her eyes widen slightly. "I…don't recall much…but…Sensei…Sensei is the reason why I'm strong. I wish to repay him for his kindness…"

Shizune just stared at the boy could couldn't possibly be older than her. He…wasn't lying. He…truly has nothing else to live for, his determination to fight for his leader was the only thing which drives him to keep on living. He looks so…broken. She was instantly reminded of herself in some ways.

"I see…I understand." She dipped her head in understanding.

She wondered if all villains this powerful were so broken inside, a twisted wish that drives them forward.

Finishing her ice-cream, Shizune waved to the boy and motioned him to follow her elsewhere. With no other choice, Shepherd allowed himself to be pulled along.

She was acting so emotionless and distant but Shepherd was rather surprised to see how excited she was to be out in the open.

If he remembered correctly…she was about the same age as him. Thinking back, he had noticed other kids around his age enjoying themselves and having fun. Were they weird…? Or was it just him?

_…Whatever…there was no point in thinking about such trivial matters. _

Suddenly, she tugged at his hand and pointed to a stall selling crepes, causing a bad feeling to surface in Shepherd.

"…What?" Shepherd asked suspiciously, although the way she was drooling gave him a sinking suspicion on what's to come.

"I'm still hungry." She stated.

"…Not my problem. Haven't you eaten enough?" he hissed in frustration.

"Don't you want me to join the League?" She tilted her head and asked.

He scowled down at her. "…you told me the same thing every time you want to buy another of those deserts. Just how are they going inside that tiny body of yours?!" he reminded her angrily.

She merely blinked at him; the fact that she wasn't so easily unfazed by anything was throwing off Shepherd's pace.

"I have two stomachs," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

_Fuck this!_

**=[]=**

Unbeknownst to them, several figures had been watching the two teens from atop a department stall, having noticed the two's unusual behavior.

"Well well, look who we have here…" Midnight said, a teasing smirk on her lips. The heroine and a few police were on the rooftop of a department stall, overlooking the bustling square of Hosu but her attention remained at a white-haired boy wearing a hoodie and a purple-haired girl around the same age.

"Um…Midnight," A police officer reminded her nervously.

"Alright, get ready to trail them." The R-rated Heroine informed the police squad, putting her binoculars away and securing her whip. "Inform the station that the S-rank villain Shepherd has been spotted in Hosu. But we can't take action when there's so many people around. The worst scenario would be that everyone in the vicinity becomes a hostage."

The female teacher saw that the police force behind her were showing rather tensed expressions. Were they afraid of Shepherd? Not that she could blame them; news of the Hero Killer Stain appearing in Hosu for the past nights have gotten the men jittery. To be honest, she herself did not wish to have a run in with either Stain or Shepherd. Just the rumors about the duo's casualty rates are enough to shake even a seasoned Pro-hero. But there was a reason why she remained calm.

"Not to worry," The dominatrix-dressed heroine assured the police. "We have Eraserhead with us; no matter how powerful the villain, Shota will cut down his quirk. Compared to Stain, the villain Shepherd appears to be unskilled in close-combat. Once his quirk is sealed, we can suppress him easily."

"Miss Midnight, look at this." A young officer said to Midnight as he watched Shepherd through his binoculars. "What about the girl beside him. Is she a villain as well?"

"Do you have any intel on a villain that looks like her?" The said Heroine questioned hastily, her eyes not leaving the target as they begun to move off. "We might have to apprehend her, but it would be better if we know what her quirk is first."

"Apologies…but her face isn't recorded in any of the villain database. A new villain, perhaps?"

Midnight was working fast, contacting both Present-Mic and Eraserhead about her present location. "I haven't got to meet the famous Shepherd yet…but I can't wait to get some payback for the pain this boy dealt to my dear students." She licked her lips as her eyes danced with a sadistic light. "Time for this onee-san to give the naughty boy some spanking!"

.

**=[Musutafu Police Headquarters]=**

Tsukauchi was debriefing everyone about the patrol routes for the night when a junior officer ran up to the inspector while breathing heavily; sweating and completely out of breath.

"What's wrong?" Tsukauchi asked, his tone full of dread at what could possibly get the man to be so flustered.

"It's…a call made by R-rated Hero: Midnight!" the young officer began. "We have received intel that the villain, Shepherd is seen on the streets of Hosu City!"

Tsukauchi paled upon hearing this, this news spelled disaster not only for the police force stationed in that particular sector, but the entire population in Hosu City as well! What was he doing there? In broad daylight?! They were just having there plans full with tracking down the Hero Killer Stain who was reported to be doing his work in Hosu, but to think that another unbelievable villain would appear in tandem…!

"Assemble the task force we have created to suppress Shepherd immediately." Tsukauchi immediately instructed. "Tell Midnight to remain on standby until the police, Eraserhead and Present-Mic are transferred to her location. I'll be going there as well."

"U-Uhm…about that, Inspector Tsukauchi," the junior officer continued with a complicated expression. "You are told to remain here in headquarters, sir. Another higher-ranking officer is coming in today to supervise the capture operation."

"Higher ranking?" Tsukauchi questioned, arching an eyebrow. "I was the one who assembled the group to specifically counter the S-rank villain. Who has the right to take over the command?"

"It was me." As if by command, the doors to the conference room swung open, revealing a scowling newcomer who gave an oppressive atmosphere and caused every single police personnel in the room to scurry and stand in attention. His presence turned the air cold and he cast a slight glance at everyone as they saluted him, Tsukauchi included.

"Commissioner General Touma, Sir!" Tsukauchi greeted.

The aged man looked over the inspector before he repeated his command. "It was I who made the order to handle the Shepherd Suppression force, do you have any problems with that…Junior Inspector Tsukauchi?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"N-No…of course not, sir. But I was given the instruction of handling the case of Shepherd," Tsukauchi slowly stated, minding his tone towards the highest person in the police force. While he wasn't afraid of his superior, he did know that he had quite the temper when things didn't go his way. Some might even say he's the demon of the police force; feared by villains, colleagues and even heroes alike. "Why are you here in Hosu?"

The Commissioner General scoffed upon hearing his question, using his finger to motion another police officer to carry several heavy, steel cases into the room, entering a number-code to open its contents.

"Many months of tracking the ever-so-elusive dog of the League, and he finally shows his face to us. We are going to capture the boy…and bring an end to this villain who has been a thorn to the police for far too long." The aged man declared, giving a powerful presence despite his great age. "Many of our men have fallen trying to arrest one lone boy. Public fear has never been higher ever since his attack on USJ, and more villains are becoming more daring and throwing themselves into crime! You have been tracking that Shepherd for weeks and you came up with nothing!"

"And it doesn't help that the Hero Killer Stain is here in Hosu City causing panic as well! I am going to have to step in here Tsukauchi…this is a great crisis for Hosu…but we'll have a chance to capture two of the most dangerous villains in one swoop!"

"I understand your concerns, sir." Tsukauchi placated, keeping his voice calm. "Shepherd's actions are unpredictable…but now that he has willingly showed up, we will capture him with the best team of heroes handpicked to counter his…troublesome quirks. You have nothing to worry about."

"Nevermind the heroes, you plan to throw our own forces at him with mere guns? That villain has regeneration for goodness sake!" The Commissioner General slammed his hand on the nearest table with his eyes flaring with anger. "The public has always been criticizing that the police is nothing compared to the heroes. If we don't step up our game, the might of Musutafu's police will forever be undermined. We must not give the public another reason why the police shouldn't be feared, especially the villains!"

"Yes...I understand, but-"

"Which is why I have made a special arrangement to have these delivered here," He signaled for the people behind him to open the metal briefcases, revealing several chrome-silver blocky-looking guns. "The newest addition to the police's arsenal."

The inspector blinked for a moment, before his eyes widened with shock at what the Commissioner General has brought in.

"I have placed you in charge of searching the Hero Killer Stain. The patrolling units on the ground have been notified of this change and are awaiting your orders. I believe that you are more than capable of-"

"Commissioner General, s-sir…!" Tsukauchi hissed, recognizing the silver guns his superior was beginning to distribute amongst the officers. "These are supposed to be prohibited, even against villains…! Don't tell me you withdrew the ban of these…are you seriously planning on using these on a child?!"

"The police shall not be estimated; we are the ones who will enforce the peace of our motherland." The man waved his hand dismissively at the horrified Tsukauchi and made his way to gear up for tonight's operation. "Make no mistake, Shepherd shall fall today."

.

**=[Hosu City]=**

"I ate too much…"

"…You don't say." Shepherd grumbled, looking at the darkened sky. He hadn't realized it was already evening; Hosu was beginning to be illuminated by the colour street lights. "…Let's get back to the meeting point; Kurogiri will bring us back to the hideout."

As the two began to make their way back to the pickup point where Kurogiri is scheduled to transport them back to the hideout, Shizune smiled at Shepherd genuinely. "You are more normal than I thought, Shepherd-san. I had fun."

He eyed her, seeking any ulterior motives as to why she said that statement. He found none. "…I-"

But before Shepherd could reply, a giant tower of explosions shook the area and erected a giant wall of flames near the huge junction of Hosu City. Before both villains could say anything, a person was thrown out of the fire screaming hysterically. It was a hero…judging from the way he was dressed, but his uniform was in tatters and his limbs twisted in different angles.

A terrifying roar could be heard from the origin of the fire. Snapping his gaze towards the source, Shepherd saw a very familiar huge hulking humanoid with brown skin and exposed brain. It had no eyes, but possess a muzzle resembling a canine. That disgusting thing…a Noumu?! What was it doing here in Hosu? Was Shigaraki behind it?

"…Just what is that man-child planning now…?!" Shepherd seethed with irritation as the creature started blindly attacking citizens and swung its huge claws in wide arcs. The thing soon spotted both of them and charged wildly at a stunned Shizune.

"GET DOWN!" Thinking fast, Shepherd pulled Shizune and tackled her to the ground, narrowly avoiding the Noumu's sharp talons. _Wasn't this thing programmed not to attack the League members?! Unless…Shizune!_

"…I really hate these things…!" Shepherd growled as his patience ran thin and let the familiar feeling of sludge ooze down his arms. "…don't get in my way." The beast-like Noumu howled and charged towards the girl with great speed, a few feet away from colliding with Shepherd. "…**Schwarz…**"

The toxic metal twisted and morphed like a living creature, before solidifying into a beaked spear. With one fluid arm motion, Shepherd swung and extended forth the black lance, piercing the Noumu through its chest. The mindless puppet looked at its penetrated chest for a moment before countless black spears tore through its flesh like a black flower, turning the Noumu into a meat pin cushion. "…**PLATZEN!** (Black Burst)"

After a few moments of deafening silence, someone in the crowd scream and got everyone to run away in all different directions. His cover was blown, and to both of the teen's shock, A group of policemen surrounded them left and right; like they were planning this the moment he attacked.

"…run." Shepherd told Shizune. "…run back to Kurogiri. Get back to the League." Shepherd ordered, readying his sludge.

The purple-haired girl shook her head, a complicated expression etched on her features. "You can't fend all of them – I can help-!"

A bullet ran in between the two teens, narrowly missing Shizune's head and shot a hole through Shepherd's face, tearing off his mask, making blood flow down.

"S-Shepherd-san!" Shizune spoke a little frantically, reaching for her jacket to cover the wound, but her concerns were unneeded as Shepherd's [Regeneration] began to do its work. Shepherd's eye glared at a nervous police officer while the hole in his mouth quickly mended itself.

"…I broke your flute…you can't use your quirk…! I'm telling you…" He growled at her, morphing his sludge into a barbed whip. "…TO RUN!" Shepherd aimed at the man who assaulted them and pierced him straight through the chest.

Horrified at this sudden display of carnage, Shizune whispered. "N-No…"

"…My orders from Sensei is to treat you with utmost care." The white-haired boy roughly pushed her away. "…Only I can hold them off…there's nothing you can do here…so escape from this place!" Shepherd said to her, his voice full of malice. "…Or do you want to fall here like a pathetic weakling?!"

Shizune fell to the ground, remaining silent. Shepherd gazed upon her frightened expression, his eyes filled with fire, "…Get lost. There isn't anything a _weakling_ like you that can help me."

He pushed her away as more police forces began to make their way towards Shepherd.

"You can't do this! I can help you! I can use my voice!" Shizune's usual calm expression changed into one of desperation, her blood boiling from the white-haired boy's unreasonable words. "There's too many-!" The petite girl was suddenly knocked away and tumbled across the cold pavement, her small body flung by Shepherd's [Toxic Sludge]. It had her thrown quite a distance while the police had just started to surround the boy.

"DON'T YOU DARE USE YOUR QUIRK!"

"Freeze! S-rank villain Shepherd!"

"W-wait! You have to escape-!" Shizune yelled at him, a desperate look across her features as she saw the many enforcement personnel surrounding the perimeter, terrified tears streaming down her eyes.

Shepherd stared at her distressed state and with a monotonous voice, he told her. "Stay out of my way, weakling." With that cold gaze, Shizune clenched her teeth and ran away, leaving the [Toxic Sludge] quirk user behind.

.

**=[]=**

"Who was that girl with you!? An accomplice?!" Shepherd blocked the guns' barrage lazily with his sludge as he was surrounded on all sides.

"…who are you talking about? At least give me a hero…so leave me alone!" Shepherd stood back up while his jaw was healing, firing a storm of sludge bullets at the police officer who shot at him, getting the curious crowd to scream and run off. "…too many civilians here…too annoying…" the boy grumbled and prepared to escape. But before he could, his right arm was ensnarled by a whip.

"Hey little boy," A dark-purple spiky-haired woman donning a dominatrix-themed costume which caused Shepherd to cringe prevented him from moving. "…you wanted to fight heroes so much, how about you let this onee-san play with you for a while?" the woman released a purple mist towards Shepherd. But the boy just used his sludge to slice the whip apart and jumped out of the gas' range.

"…Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not into old hags," responded Shepherd, his quirk hurtling towards Midnight. It came within a few feet away from the dominatrix-themed heroine before it fell harmlessly to the ground, much to the former's astonishment. The next thing he knew, he was forced back when a blast of loud noise assaulted him from the side.

"You're late. Yamada-kun…Shota-kun!" The woman waved cordially as two other heroes arrived at the scene. The first was a blonde-haired man with sunglasses and something resembling a speaker on his neck, while the other was a dark-wavy haired man wearing goggles and a scarf, staring at Shepherd intently with glowing red eyes.

"Stay sharp Midnight," The tired-looking man scolded. "Follow the plan."

"The reports weren't kidding," Present-Mic remarked as he saw the [Toxic Sludge] boy. "He's just a kid!"

_"What just happened…?"_ Shepherd gazed at Eraserhead warily while he tried to activate his quirk, to no avail. _"I can't activate the sludge…is he the famed Erasure-hero who can nullify quirks? hahaha…"_

The police quickly regrouped and surrounded Shepherd, alongside the three heroes in a tight ring with riot shields. Looks like they were really set on capturing him.

"…I ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY FIGHTING AGAINST YOU…ERASERHEAD!"

Aizawa moved towards the villain, but the boy rushed forward first and landed a hit in the man's abdomen. But Aizawa ignored the pain, and proceeded to unwrap his special-alloy scarf. He punched Shepherd hard in the face, sending him skidding backward. "You should have just surrendered once you know your quirk isn't activating; it saves you the humiliation."

The villain boy coughed up blood and spat out a tooth, but continued to attack Eraserhead like some rabid dog. "…I'll kill you." He growled, relying on what little martial arts he picked up killing heroes and retaliate back. Aizawa didn't flinched when the white-haired boy lunged at him. Without his [Toxic Sludge] or [Regeneration], he was just a simple thug.

"That's quite enough of you." Aizawa came at him before Shepherd had time to react, wrapping his cloth around the boy like a restrain and dragged him forward, forcing his knee into Shepherd's stomach. More blood ran from his mouth as Aizawa threw him to the ground a few feet away. "You know, I haven't got the chance to meet you after what you did to my class."

Shepherd struggled to get back up. He was actually taking permanent damage; his regeneration was indeed halted. He had been too dependent on his sludge, and he was learning painfully just how weak he was without his quirks to help him. What an annoying quirk this guy had…what was the point of fighting if you were to take away powers?! The boy threw the cloth around him away and blitz towards Aizawa once more. If Shepherd could just land a solid hit, he could make the Erasure-hero blink and activate his quirk once more, he would kill the man immediately…so that no one would take away his power ever again.

"How predictable," Aizawa's boot suddenly slammed into Shepherd's diaphragm. He coughed even more, feeling bile rising up to his throat. He fell to the ground once more, but this time with the man's alloy scarf tightening painfully to stop him from moving his limbs ever again. "This is but a fraction of the pain which you have inflicted to those students in UA. If I weren't a hero, I would have loved to put you down for good. How do you feel now, are you proud for all those atrocities you committed?" he asked in low voice, his foot pressing harder on Shepherd's chest.

"…You…you…! Taking away quirks…fight me properly…!" he managed through pain as he struggled. It didn't work, the pressure restraining his body only increased, making it harder to breathe.

"Sorry, but I don't have the luxury of doing that with you." Aizawa leaned in. "Your 'fights' have killed people." Eraserhead said as he pulled on his restraining cloth and constricted Shepherd's lungs even more, and grabbed the boy by his hoodie and hauled him into a sitting position. "You're going to tell me right now. The Hero Killer Stain, the Noumus that attacked here in Hosu, your appearance here as well. Just what is the League planning tonight?" The boy said nothing at first but glared at him, making Aizawa slammed his head against the asphalt, a blow which made his ears ring. "Keep up the silence and you're going to Tartarus with broken limbs."

"Oi Shota! He's just a kid…" Midnight said hesitantly but her long-time friend shot back. "A kid who _kills_ for his own enjoyment. Now tell us…what is the League planning to do in Hosu?! How many more Noumus are there here?!"

Shepherd gagged up more blood, drops of it landing on Aizawa's face. "…I-I don't…know what that man-child…is planning…! Seriously…that guy's always a pain…!" he coughed vigorously, the pain making his mind frantic. "I…don't know!"

"…" Aizawa looked in Shepherd's eyes intensely, ultimately dropping him back to the ground, cracking his head against the pavement. He sighed and looked over his shoulder. "Tell the Commissioner General that Shepherd has been apprehended." He ordered. "Get the detoxifying agent injection ready and prepare to move him to Tartarus."

_Not yet…! I can still fight…! I can get stronger!_

"…Don't fucking…UNDERESTIMATE ME!"

"AIZAWA BEHIND YOU!" Midnight shouted in panic. Teeth found themselves embedded in Aizawa's arm, tearing out flesh as the boy lashed out violently, and Aizawa could only scold himself for being so careless just because a villain was restrained to the point of not being able to use his arms or legs. The Pro-hero's face contorted in pain as he helplessly found himself blinking. "-Shit!" Aizawa cursed.

Shepherd felt his wounds healing instantly, grinning maniacally as he wielding his sludge to cut through the restrains and unleashed his black ooze mightily, preparing to destroy the three heroes…

**"SAY YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!"**

A blast of sound erupted from Present-Mic's speaker, making the villain fell down yet again under the pressure of his [Voice] quirk. Shepherd instinctively morphed his sludge into blades and prepared to skewer the loud-mouth's throat out for good before a police officer decided to step forward and brandished a weird silver gun, firing a wave of sound that enveloped Shepherd, making him scream in extreme pain.

"Stand back, Eraserhead." a new voice, aged but powerful, spoke from behind. "We'll take it from here."

Midnight, Present-Mic and Eraserhead all stepped back while the ring of police officers rushed in and took over, whipping out similar silver guns and fired off waves after waves of undiluted sound. The energy within Shepherd's body had died out, and he raised his head with difficulty to see a tall man with a powerful stature, dressed in a high-ranking officer's uniform and gazing at Shepherd like he was filth beneath his shoes.

"Do you like them?" Commissioner General Touma questioned coldly. "They are guns I have reinstated into the police just for you, called Sonic Resonance Guns."

"Guns capable of emitting soundwaves with a high-enough frequency can cause direct damage to the brain, causing a loss of consciousness within 30 seconds, and even death in minutes. "You are a villain wielding a powerful sludge quirk, coupled with a regeneration quirk. You may have the ability to withstand physical attacks, but a sound bullet cannot be easily evaded by anyone."

Shepherd continued to scream.

"Present-Mic will disorientate your battle senses with his [Voice], along with our Sound-guns. Eraserhead will prevent your quirk from activating with [Erasure],and Midnight will suppress you permanently with her [Somnambulist]. This is the tactic formulated specially against you, Shepherd."

"…You…bastards…!" Shepherd wheezed in agony. "Using cheap tricks like that…!"

"Feels like your skull's about to crack, doesn't it? That's because the sound guns are causing an intracranially-shot vibration; it's a bullet that forcefully shuts down the brain of the target through sonic vibrations."

"You have undermined the might of Musutafu's police force for the last time," The inspector said. "Come to heel, you aberrant dog of the League."

Shepherd's mind buckled in pain, this entire body hurt, feeling his ears bleeding internally, and his vision was darkening fast. _"…I-It can't end here…!"_ Shepherd roared as the sound guns drowned his voice and continued to destroy his body internally. _"…I will get stronger…! I have to be stronger than everyone else…!"_ The police gazed at him coldly. _"Losing to a bunch of cheap tricks like this…!"_ his world was glowing dimmer, eyes fading out of focus. His limbs fell by his side limply as his mind was close to breaking down.

_I REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT._

As a last ditched effort, Shepherd tried to activate his quirk, but once again it was not responding to his will. He creaked his head sideways to see the shaggy man with glowing red eyes staring right at him, hair floating above his head as he nullified [Toxic Sludge] with his [Erasure].

General Inspector Touma stepped forward, holding out his own Sonic Resonance Gun. "It appears you can still talk." He fired the sound weapon, not intending to give the villain any space to breathe like Eraserhead.

"Wait, that's enough!" Aizawa suddenly stated. "Our orders are to suppress the villain. He's going to get killed at this rate…we still need him conscious to question him about the League of Villains' plans."

"Something like that doesn't matter anymore. We won't take any chances with him; having him in a half-dead condition will be good enough before he can be sentenced to Tartarus." Commissioner General Touma declared. "Keep your eyes on the boy, Eraserhead; make sure his infuriating [Toxic Sludge] doesn't activate."

"This isn't what Tsukauchi told us," Midnight raised an eyebrow at the highest-ranking officer of the police force. "This is a capture mission; you don't have the authorization to-!"

"I am the Commissioner General of the Musutafu's Police Force! And I hold the authority to make sure this deviant doesn't pose a threat to our society ever again." The senior officer snapped at the heroine. "Twenty hardworking men have been slaughtered by this boy in COLD BLOOD! Good, innocent men! I'm not going to let this boy slip past our grasp like you, Eraserhead."

.

"**Psycho Flute: Harrowing Performance**"

Music began to play from behind them; a haunting melody which Shepherd had heard before, came closer and allowed everyone to hear its bewitching sound. Something fell to the ground and the sound of screaming could be heard. The Commissioner General, Eraserhead, Present-Mic and Midnight looked back in horror to see the entire police force on their knees; clutching their ears as their minds erupted with pain and their vision was distorting.

"A-A girl?!" A petite lavender-haired girl playing a metal, transverse flute entered the scene.

"You…you are that girl from before…!" Midnight felt like she was being looked upon with such coldness, such merciless that she was being frozen on the spot. This girl…was dangerous!

A couple of the policemen tried to retaliate and pulled out their guns and aimed angrily at the flute-wielding girl, but the heroes stared in horror when they were actually aiming their firearms at their own colleagues. With hands clamping over their own ears, Aizawa and Yamada tackled them to the ground, preventing them from using their guns.

"DON'T SHOOT!" Aizawa shouted. "The girl has a quirk that messes with your senses! I repeat: DON'T SHOOT! Yamada – you have to use your [Voice] to cancel out her quirk! I can't erase her's now because I'm nullifying Shepherd's!"

"E-Easy for you to say!" Present-Mic grunted painfully as he tried his best not to fall under the girl's music. He had been listening to Shizune's [Psychosis] music for too long; he tried to counteract with one of his loud yells but he soon fell to the ground unconscious.

With eyes as cold as ice, Shizune looked silently at the police and Pro-heroes who laid on the pavement, before facing the heroes with an unflinching expression.

"Y-You…you're a villain…!?"

"Perhaps so," Shizune said expressionlessly. "I have nothing else. He has saved my life – I will not permit you to harm him anymore. That's why no matter how much more I have to stain my hands; I will protect him."

"Tch-! What's wrong with kids these days? To think that even children have fallen to the hands of the villains…" Touma clicked his tongue and aimed his gun at Shizune. "You are messing with the police of Musutafu! How much more are you going to embarrass your country?!"

"If you harm him anymore…" Shizune's eyes flashed their coldest yet. **"…I will kill you."**

.

**=[To be continued]=**

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A/N: Write a review on what you think! What would happen next?!


	10. Unchained Madness

A/N: Thanks for waiting! Here is the next chapter, but before that...

On to reviews:

Ocomhdhain1: Welcome to the story! Thanks for the comment!

CREED6: Sorry about the story deletion. It's up again. And for your question, it's going to be answered in this chapter. 

King0fP0wers: Haha…didn't plan this to be some romantic comedy though! You just have to wait and see!

Phelipebr: I'm sorry about the image, but I put a new one so that you can see how Shepherd looks like close up! Enjoy the chapter!

Now, onwards!

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**Chapter 10: Unchained Madness.**

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**=[Flashback]=**

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_"Hah...hah…you're too fast Midoriya-kun!"_

_Two boys were playing a game of 'Heroes and Villain' in the park. They had used the playground as the 'Villain's' hiding spot, and the small boy with reddish-brown hair could only pant tiredly while his playmate continued to run around with excess energy to spare. "Moh…it's better if I'm the villain…"_

_Seeing this, the dark-green haired kid called out, "But you always make it so easy when you play the villain, Hakazuka-kun. You give up too easily!"_

_"Hehe…I'm not too good at being aggressive after all," The boy laughed in response. "I don't really like pain…sorry, Midoriya-kun. Besides, my mom don't like it when I come home covered in dirt; she knows that I've been playing 'Heroes and Villain' with you."_

_Izuku fell silent and proceeded to sit next to Hakazuka, a little curious about what the latter just said. "What's so wrong with that? If we are aiming to become heroes in the future, then we have to practice capturing villains and saving citizens! Is your mom afraid of you getting hurt? I promise I won't tackle you to the floor next time."_

_"N-No…it not that…" Hakazuka trailed off, before sighing. "She doesn't like to talk about heroes so much…I have a feeling that she thinks being a hero is stupid and that I should be dreaming towards something else. Well, it's not like I'm planning to become a hero anyways, I cry over the smallest injuries…I'm slow…and I'm not strong. But I have to be careful not to mention anything hero-related in front of her."_

_Looking over the boy, Midoriya was sadden when tears started forming around Hakazuka's eyes. "But I'm going to root for you Midoriya! You said you're going to be the best hero like All-Might right? I can't wait to see the world's first quirkless hero!" Quickly recovering, he rubbed his tears away and cheered Izuku on, an encouraging smile formed upon his face._

_"Yeah!" Midoriya jumped up excitedly and flashed the brightest grin he could muster. "Have no fear, for I'm here! Let me do a SMASH! on you!"_

_"I told you I don't like pain!"_

_._

**=[A few weeks before internships. All-Might's Office.]=**

"Young Midoriya? You okay my boy?"

"O-oh sorry!" Lost in thought, Midoriya had completely missed All-Might's explanation about the plans for his internship with Gran Torino; his face flushed with color as he realized he did not pay attention to his mentor. "A-Anything I should know about Gran Torino?"

"Nevermind that, you seemed distracted," All-Might noted, sitting across Izuku in his skinny form. "You have been like this after the Sports Festival. Are you holding up alright?"

His gaunt eyes flashed with concern and his voice spoke with softness – the successor of OFA couldn't bring himself to lie to him.

"I…things have been hard on my mind lately. Hakazuka is alive. He's a villain. He almost can't recognize me, but…" He paused, shaking his head before gazing with slightly terrified eyes. "I can't forget the USJ incident, he was so different from how I knew him…but when he looked at me…it was like he was pleading towards me…!"

"I understand you feel frustrated," Toshinori sighed. "Believe me, if what we feared is true, then I feel even more frustrated than you do. You are probably thinking back of what you could have done back in your junior high school-"

"Why couldn't I notice it sooner? Why couldn't I have done something?" Midoriya suddenly interrupted. "All the signs…they were there right in front of me, and I didn't do a single thing for him."

"You are feeling guilt." All-Might replied. "We all are. I understand your pain of what your friend may be going through, and how you may have prevented that. But you are a still a hero student; it's optimal for you to concentrate on your studies while we continue to search for evidence that Shepherd is indeed Hakazuka Kotaro-"

"He said my name, he stopped at the last second and recognized me," Izuku looked at his teacher. "Isn't that enough evidence? Are the police so adamant on putting him down as a criminal? He's probably under their control!"

"I believe you young Midoriya…but the police needs conclusive evidence before we take action. I know its hard now...but you have to be patient. I believe your dear friend is fighting hard, so we have to remain hopeful and strong for his sake as well."

"All-Might," Izuku frowned sadly. "Before I met you, I was just a quirkless kid…I can't even save one friend."

"Young Midoriya, you are far from weak." He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Ever since I have taken you in as my prodigy, you have tirelessly trained more than anyone else and surpassed my expectations. You have always convinced me of your worthiness, young Midoriya, like with your actions during the USJ attack. Not only did you properly deduced the nature of Shepherd's quirk, you risked your life to protect your classmates in the face of overwhelming danger. And most importantly, you told me that your friend as somehow regained his memories, even if its only for a moment?"

"Y-Yes." He said, thinking back to the talk he had with All-Might along with Kacchan on a previous occasion.

"Young Midoriya, though we cannot undo what has happened to your friend, but we can still save him and take him back from the League of Villains. Something you did during the USJ has triggered young Hakazuka's memories, meaning to say that your friend has not completely lost himself." All-Might's eyes shone with hope. "Detective Tsukauchi is doing all he can to ensure your friend is taken away from the league's hold, and then we'll have ample time to figure out what the villains did to him. So for now, forget about the internship."

Toshinori's next words dampened the hopeful mood. "I want you to tell me everything that happened in your previous junior high school."

"You have to tell me everything."

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**=[A few weeks ago before internships. Class 1-A]=**

"Ochako-chan. Wake up Ochako-chan. Class is already over."

A finger poked her cheek, and Uraraka bolted from her thoughts with small beads of sweat over her forehead, breathing hard. The usual nightmares have robbed her of her sleep, and even make-up couldn't completely hide the bags under her eyes. Asui Tsuyu was standing infront of her desk, her expression somewhat concerned.

"Not again," she murmured dejectedly, her eyes falling on the floor, too ashamed to meet Tsuyu's gaze. "I'm so sorry Tsu-chan, I just haven't been sleeping much…"

"You're thinking about the boy from the USJ attack, aren't you?"

"How did you-!" Uraraka's lips quivered a little, and her stomach sunk at her friend's observant comment.

"You're not the only one bumped about losing; I was sure my tongue was going to be permanently impaired after what he did to me, but I guess we're all lucky. But it seems like you're the most affected out of all of us, Ochako-chan." The [Frog] quirk girl had been observing the [Zero Gravity] quirk girl ever since the UA Sports Festival, after she apparently got frozen with shock when Bakugo was about to use his [Explosion] quirk to knock her out of the ring; Midnight even had to forcefully stop Bakugo when Uraraka looked as though she was having a heart attack. Tsuyu had merely pieced together what has happened during the USJ incident and formed his conclusion.

"Was it quite obvious? That must be so embarrassing." Uraraka asked sheepishly, rubbing her neck as she gazed at her classmate.

"It's not something to be ashamed about," Tsuyu protested, taking a seat beside her. "But it would be best if you address this problem and talk to us, or even Hound-dog Sensei for advise. Ochako-chan, I know that you may blame yourself for not being able to help much back then, but no one could have predicted that a crazy S-rank villain would be part of the attack-ribbit."

"It's not that," Ochako protested, her face flushing from her friend's kindness. "But whenever I think back to what happened in USJ, that boy's face just kept coming back. His eyes…what he said…the way he put down Thirteen-sensei…I-Is this what we have to face in the future?"

"You're worrying too much," said Asui, rubbing her back to comfort her. "Remember what All-Might sensei told us? It's natural to feel fear during battle, but the most important thing is to embrace it and move on! You can definitely move on from this, Ochaka-chan. I know you can-ribbit."

"Speaking of All-Might sensei, didn't Deku-kun go along with him after the lesson? I wonder if they're close…?"

"Midoriya-kun?" Tsuyu croaked in surprise from this change of topic. "I'm not so sure…but I did overhear that they are making some plans for his internship. I'm planning to intern with Selkie by the sea."

_I see…so Deku-kun has plans to grow stronger…while I still…!_

Uraraka examined the internship application form in her hands for a while. Initially she was going to try out rescue mission under Thirteen, but the hero in question has been hospitalized for an unknown duration. But as soon as she thought back to the battle with Shepherd…

_This is the result of weaklings trying to fight back when they cannot even gauge the difference between the opponents…What you guys call bravery…I named it mere arrogance._

With a determined look, she scribbled down her choice for the internship, and making Tsuyu widened her eyes at her decision. "Ochako-chan, didn't you say you wanted to be a hero specialising in rescue? Gunhead Martial Arts specializes more on close-combat…"

"Nope, I made my choice! I will become stronger! If all I do is stay in my comfort zone and wallow in my own weakness, I will never truly grow. Hya!" She punched the air for effect, and gazed at Tsuyu gratefully. "Thanks, Tsu-chan! Everyone's doing their best to move forward, so I'll do my best as well!"

_"I wonder if she's inspired from Midoriya-kun…"_ Tsuyu thought as she watched her friend's renewed vigor. _"Or perhaps…is it from…?"_

_._

**=[Present. Hosu City]=**

Shizune took out the metal transverse flute she had stolen from a nearby instrument shop; it felt different, heavier. But despite that, she knew exactly where her fingers went.

She didn't waste a second.

"**Psycho Flute: Harrowing Performance!**"

Her eyes fluttered shut and for the first time in many years, her emotions poured into her music; a powerful melody born from her heart and soul.

A melody hauntingly soft at first, echoing across the battlefield for a second before it switched the tempo and increased in strength. The music was soon turned into a chaotic melody as her fingers blurred along the flute keys.

Another policeman fell under the pain-inducing effects of her music as the girl instilled more of her quirk's sense-impairing effects into the melody. Each new sound reverberated with the last and caused even more people to clutch their ears in agony.

Some tried aiming their sound guns towards her, but her own deadly ultrasonic music caused everyone to stumble as their senses and thoughts were beginning to jumble up.

"You won't get away with this," The Commissioner General hissed as his eyes narrowed out of anger. "You're helping a wanted member of the League of Villains!"

Shizune said nothing as she continued to play on her flute, knocking out the Commissioner General as well. The effects of [Psychosis] will wear off as soon as she stopped playing, and at this point she was unsure of what to do next. After a while, she stopped playing to catch her breath.

"…you idiot…! I told you to escape…!" Shepherd barely got the words out, but it was enough grab Shizune's attention. Her eyes widened and she scrambled to the boy's side.

"Let's get out of here." Shizune ran towards the broken boy, gasping at the boy's ruined state which was slowly healing. She quick held his shoulder and tried to lift him up…

However, her actions were interrupted when a capture cloth wrapped around her hand and yanked her flute way from her grip. Shizune hardly had time to re-position herself before Aizawa came flying towards her with his [Erasure] quirk active. He had nullified her quirk beforehand and played dead and waited for the girl to stop playing.

Shizine tried to reach for her fallen instrument, but Eraserhead was faster and predicted her movements. He caught her wrist effortlessly, impairing her movement, keeping her in one place.

He squinted at her eyes. "I've never seen a villain like you before, you're new at this aren't you?" he stated with a frown. "You don't know what you're doing," The girl didn't respond, but stared daggers as she struggled against Aizawa's hold. A hand threw away Shizune's stolen flute before folding into a fist. Shizune's eyes grew wide for a second and she coughed out bile as a blow hit her in the stomach, then she went limp.

_S-Shizune…!_ His teeth grinded together harshly, looking helplessly with his head on the ground as Eraserhead laid her unconscious body on the floor while the others are slowly recovering their senses. _"M-My head…!"_

_._

"Ouch-! My head…who the hell was that girl?"

"Don't know, but she did help a villain…she'll be charged for that no doubt."

"Someone bring the cuffs…get the girl's flute as well."

.

_"…get away…get away from her goddammit!"_

Everything was rushing into this mind and pouring unfamiliar visions in a painful torrent of memories as Shizune was being surrounded by all sides and suppressed. A single memory began to writhe painfully from the depths of his conscious, a scene which was blurred during his previous mission. A scene of three boys beating down on a single crying kid.

The voices soon began to plague him.

**Quirkless shits like can never hope to accomplish anything meaningful in this world!**

**Don't cry okay? Everything will be alright!**

**LEARN SOME MANNERS YOU QUIRKLESS BASTARD!**

**My name is Midoriya Izuku! What's yours?**

**WHY DO I GET TREATED LIKE THIS?!**

**DON'T STAMMER!**

**If you don't shape up and get some friends, how are you going to survive in society?!**

**You're just a useless nobody who has a death-wish!**

**Don't keep everything to yourself alright? Hakazuka-kun?**

**WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING ANYTHING?! KOTARO!?**

**Don't you have a dream?**

**It's all your fault…YOU SUICIDE BASTARD!**

**Mom…Dad…I did try my best…? Why won't you believe me?**

His mind was breaking…so close…! So painful…!

**"Enough…I have e-enough…!"**

It was that voice again. That same voice he had been trying to suppress had spoken out again!

**"Just how much longer are you going to continue killing?!"**

What a stupid question. As long as people are going to hurt him, he will never stop.

**"I-I don't want this…I never asked for this!"**

He forced himself to look up, his bangs blocking most of his vision. That boy was back; that kid with rust-colored hair that always nagged at the back of his head, that annoying weakling. He forced himself to ignore him and pushed him back to depths of his subconscious. His face was obscured, but he always had this feeling that the kid was part of himself.

**"How long do you plan to fight like this…?"** the kid asked, crying. Shepherd could hear the faint rattle of chains restraining the kid to the chair. **"Why are you so adamant on this?! Why would you fight so hard for the man who tortured us?!"**

Shepherd didn't answer. The pain continued to grow, his body quivering. The memories of a small boy being bullied by countless others began to overlap with Shizune as she resisted arrest. He was slowly beginning to recall…that disgusting past of his…

This boy…as long as he can hear his voice…the pain will…!

"Shut up…SHUT UP! I don't want to feel pain…I DON'T WANT YOUR PAIN!"

His hands proceed to grab the kid's neck.

**"You don't…understand…!"** the kid choked as more chains strangled him against the restraining chair and threatened to pull him into the never-ending darkness. **"If this goes on-!"** He didn't know who that kid was…nor where he was…but one thing's for sure; he's never getting back in that chair.

**"P-Please stop! Anymore and I'll…!"** the kid looked at him desperately, like he was on the verge of disappearing, tears streaming down his face.

"Shut up…no one will take my place away…" Shepherd snarled, a hand on the kid's neck. "Don't you dare blame me…this isn't my fault; I'm not the one in the wrong."

**"Arck…argh-!"**

.

"WHAT'S WRONG…IS THIS WORLD!"

.

**=[Hosu City. Hero Killer Stain's location]=**

"Wait! Don't run off by yourself!" A hero shouted towards Midoriya as he darted his away across the burning wreckage and began his search throughout the dark alleyways of Hosu.

He was not going to risk fighting with those monsters with the exposed brains; his new 'Full Cowl' did not provide him with enough power or durability to fight toe-to-toe with those things, he knew that much from the USJ attack.

But…he knew he could still save his classmate; the disciplined and straight-forward class president who had been distraught over the Hero Killer incident. His heart squeezed and panic overloaded his brain as he dashed through the dark corners of the city. He was confident of Iida's ability in a fight, but he could not possibly take down a villain who has killed 17 and maimed 23 heroes. If Stain was as vicious as the rumours say…

Concentrating all his effort to cloaking his body with One for All's power, he sped up and heard the faint sound of clashing metal in the corner, and he entered it in a panic. He gasped loudly. Iida was lying on the ground, a spiked boot belonging to a man wearing a red scarf and black suit upon his back, and a rising sword about to stab into his classmate's shoulder.

He kicked the earth and closed the distance with sonic speed. Stain could only open his mouth in surprise before a powerful uppercut knocked him into the air. _Don't waste power…aim carefully first, then HIT! _

"Another fake?" Stain asked in a hoarse voice, that made Izuku shiver. But that level of bloodlust was nothing…compared to him…

"Midoriya-kun? Why are you here?!" Iida shouted.

Without looking back and focusing on the enemy, he panted. "I heard from Manual that you disappeared…and I knew you would search for the Hero Killer. I'm sorry for being late."

"Go away! This doesn't concern you!" the [Engine] quirk teen pleaded.

"Butting in to save your friend?" Stain questioned, getting back up and taking up a position to attack. "Can't say I hate that…but as a hero, are you prepared to die here? Alongside him?"

Midoriya flashed a determined look at the killer. "This has nothing to do with being a hero. I will not just stand by while there's someone asking for help in front of me! I've already lost one friend…so…FROM NOW ON,"

Izuku dashed forward with surprising speed that shocked Iida, and readied his fist. "I WILL NOT LOSE SIGHT OF SOMEONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME…ANYMORE!"

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**=[Hosu City. Shepherd's location]=**

Aizawa sighed as he glanced back at Shepherd's unconscious form, his [Erasure] currently active on the flute-wielding girl who was trapped in his capture cloth beside him. "Talk about a troublesome kid…" he thought, but still tightened his hold on the girl, in case the [Psychosis] quirk girl still had tricks up her sleeve. There was no way a quirk would activate once its owner was unconscious, so the heroes could at least breathe a little.

Shepherd was classified as an S-rank villain for good reason; the killing of many Pro-Heroes single-handedly, and his unstable mentality. Of course, Aizawa was still conflicted on the Commissioner General's way of handling him, but he chose to keep his mouth shut, and do as he was told. This operation was originally devised by Naomasa to capture Shepherd. Regardless of the means of handling, as long as the villain was suppressed, there are ample chances to rehabilitate the boy. As for the girl…she was probably going to be charged for assisting a villain.

Even still…this boy worried him. He had actually managed to kill heroes with powerful quirks, and that alone screamed danger. Personally, he would have felt better if more heroes were here, but that's asking too much.

"Well, let's clear things up." He muttered as he looked towards the Commissioner General. "Sir, let's try to clear the crowd-"

**"…R-Ring a-round the r-rosies…!"**

Aizawa froze, and a sharp pain sliced across the skin of his forehead as something lashed out at him, and his goggles shattered. "Shit-!" He quickly dived to the left, the ground where he once stood torn apart by sheer force and a dark tentacle stole back Shizune's body and placed it roughly behind the owner of the black appendage.

He then realized it was a mass of hardened sludge, and cursed again as he saw the boy rose unsteadily to his feet, the bisected corpses of the police littering around him, his arms hanging limply by their sides. _"You have got to be kidding me…!"_ The blood began to cloud his vision.

Shepherd began to develop a dark, sadistic grin.

**"R-Ring around the r-rosies…"** Shepherd growled, his sclera infected black and two purple irises pulsed madly, shaking uncontrollably, and saliva dripping down his chin. **"…pocket full of p-posies! Ashes…A-Ashes…I'm falling down…I'm falling down! N-No…I don't want this…! Ah-the pain…!" **he rasped, his voice becoming distorted and crazed. Aizawa had been knocked hard on the head; blood kept flowing down his scalp and making his vision a cloudy red, and he wheezed heavily.

What happened next was enough to make Midnight and Present-Mic take a step back, fear beginning to rise up in them as the color drained from their faces. Shepherd's back was hunched over, black tendrils of sludge forming at his arms. They were still formless, waving around the air as they gave off a poisonous miasma. But, this was not what terrified the Pro-heroes so much. It was the huge black scorpion-like tail that which began to lash around wildly, and Shepherd rising to his feet, his body shaking. **"…I've no clue…on what you are talking about…USJ? Students? I don't…I don't…"**

**"…Ah…ah…Don't remember. Can't remember any of that. Don't know what you are talking about…"** He growled. **"…E-Enough…I don't want to hear anymore…! No more…!"** he groaned as he fell back on his knees before rearing his head back and let out an ear-piercing scream.

The sludge surged through his skin like a torrent, wrapping around his arms like hideous armor; turning them into two dangerous sets of claws like a beast, their fingers twitching like they were itching to shred anyone to pieces. Furthermore, a new mass of sludge formed behind Shepherd's back, creating a second 'tail'. He now resembled some kind of twin-tailed beast. Shepherd continued to scream; the two large spiked appendages continuing to lash behind his back.

"Fire the Sonic Resonance Guns-!" Commissioner General Touma immediately ordered, but…

**"no more…I SAID NO MORE!"**

BOOM! The two tails of Shepherd coiled like springs and shot the [Toxic Sludge] user high into the air, before a storm of black sludge rained upon them. "**SCHWARZ HAGEL!** (Black Hail)"

_"His speed skyrocketed in an instant?!"_

Aizawa and the others immediately threw themselves to the ground, one of the scorpion-like tendrils aiming straight for him and impaling into the ground. Shards of debris and asphalt flew, some of them embedded in his skin and causing the UA Class 1 homeroom teacher to hiss in pain. Already, the regenerative quirk of Shepherd was healing his gunshot wounds, his flesh re-knitting.

"What in the…world…?" Aizawa whispered in shock, looking at the boy responsible through his bloodied vision. Shepherd's back was turned to him, his hands clutching his face. The two large tendrils stopped lashing, but there was an increasing sense of madness and insanity spreading out from him.

**"N-No more! D-Don't make me…don't make me remember! DON'T MAKE ME REMEMBER THE PAIN! I DON'T WANT TO THINK – TO REMEMBER! DON'T MAKE IT COME BACK!"**

"Commissioner General…is it possible to call for reinforcements?" For the first time, Aizawa felt terrified.

"No…all available personnel are either evacuating the Hosu residents, fighting the Noumus, or capturing the Hero Killer Stain. Asking for help in this short time…" Touma whispered.

**"M-My p-pocket full of p-posies…!"** Slowly, Shepherd turned to Aizawa and the UA faculty, and the teachers' eyes widened in horror. A black mask now covered the right side of his face, his exposed left eye completely black with a pulsing purple iris and accompanied by a deranged smile, blood leaking from the teeth and dribbling down the chin. The mask had a demonic muzzle like a dog from the pits of hell, and six horns jutting from the side, and the mouth opened in tandem with Shepherd's screaming. **"…Ashes…A-Ashes…Ah…Ah…I-I'm falling down…?"**

"…is impossible."

**"A-Ah…Mother…Father…I'll do better, I promise…Ahhh…I'm so fucked up. I won't let you worry anymore…I will get stronger…so don't use the cane…okay? If I don't get stronger…the pain will come back! I have to continue killing…THE weak dies while the strong lives! THAT'S WHY I'LL KILL YOU ALL! IT CAN'T BE HELPED RIGHT?! ERASERHEAD! YOU'LL LET ME KILL YOU RIGHT~!? BECAUSE I HATE PAIN! I TOLD YOU BEFORE RIGHT? MI~DO~RI~YA-KUN~!?"**

Midnight and Present-Mic's hearts took a plunge at that. Wait…what…did this kid…just said…?!

**"SING WITH ME! UNTIL WE ARE ALL DYED BLACK! Twist and cut the fingers with pliers. Put a needle in your ear! Ring around the rosies! Feel your flesh and skin melting off! Down they go! Into your stomach. Into your lungs. Into your intestines! Take a plunge off the roof and have your insides gently scrambled! Ashes ashes…! What's next?! Sing with me! What's next?! Melting?! What's next?! I'll turn you black! I want you to be the same as me?! I can feel it rotting inside me! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! Don't make me feel this way! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! It's fallinf down?! Split?! RIP?! HEHEHEHE?! I have to s-sing?! What's next?! What's next?! The pain is so fervent! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! I feel like I'm going to melt! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! Tell me?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! What's next?! P-Please…tell me?!"**

"Among all the villains I have dealt with over the years…" Aizawa said in a hushed tone of dread, readying himself regardless.

**"A-Ashes a-ashes…what's next?"** Shepherd giggled as he looked over at Aizawa, his new black mask looking strangely alive, completely consumed by madness. **"what's next~?"**

"You are definitely the craziest one yet...!"

.

**=[]=**

"S-Shit…what the hell is going on…?"

"Don't panic! Just support Eraserhead and the others!"

"Someone contact the units near Endeavor!" Commissioner General Touma instructed, a rare bead of cold sweat dripping down his wrinkled forehead. "Tell him that we him here as soon as possible; we got a nasty one here!"

The hellhound of the League moved faster than any of the heroes could perceive. However, he had something within his claws. It was round, bleeding, and pairs of horrified eyes embedded in their sockets. There were two of them.

It wasn't until they heard the heavy thud of bodies falling over did they find out what those things were.

The villain had torn off the head of two unsuspecting policemen.

"Eraserhead! You have to stay your ground!" Commissioner General Touma shouted as he ordered his men to open fire. "Keep him busy until Endeavor gets here!"

"Tell me something I can actually do!" Aizawa gritted his teeth in frustration, leaping back from another strike to avoid getting his head ripped off by Shepherd, the sludge appendages destroying the area in front of him entirely, debris flying everywhere and shrapnel slicing his skin. With a quick strike, he kicked him in the chest. Shepherd growled in pain, slicing the area in front of him and forced Aizawa back.

_"My vision is being blocked…! The blood from my head is not stopping…!"_ Aizawa thought in frustration as Shepherd bounced around the area. _"Did he try to target my eyes first to prevent my quirk?! Furthermore…his speed-!"_

Touma clicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes in rage. "How DARE you harmed my men?!" He unleashed the sonic gun upon him, with Present-Mic supporting him by delivering his own sound attack, but he was faster than what they could have believed. It was like a black blur, bouncing everywhere like a chaotic little devil.

**"Gargh…HARGH-!"** the villain continued to give gurgled screams, madness and rage mixed his eyes as he dodged the police's bullets. His two sludge 'tails' coiled once again like springs and shot him into the air, his sludge claws spread out.

The next thing they knew, black shards rained down like a hail storm.

This was leagues away from the amount he could shoot out since the USJ attack! The number of sludge bullets were in the thousands; so much that the people taking pictures outside the police perimeter were close to danger.

There was no way to dodge this! The heroes and policemen crowded behind Present-Mic as he used his voice as a sound shield. The policemen used their sound guns to enforce the defensive line. But even then, it wasn't nearly enough to defend completely.

Several of the deadly compressed sludge shots had managed to break through them. Several policemen fell from the many poisonous wounds and cuts inflicted upon them, and one hit Present-Mic got hit in the arm.

"We can't do this all night Aizawa!" Present-Mic screamed as he clutched his arm, unable to tear his eyes away from the fight. "We have to retreat and evacuate the people here!"

"No! If we leave that kid to his own devices in that state, every single citizen in Hosu is in danger! We have to keep him here!"

.

These heroes…these bastards…They were the ones who attacked first. That was more than enough for him. Enough for him to break loose.

Utter eradication.

.

**"…Stronger…stronger…EVEN STRONGER!"** with that in mind, Shepherd landed back on the ground with a deafening crash right in the middle of the group. He was standing right infront of Present-Mic, his malicious eyes glaring up at the [Voice] quirk Pro-hero. The man's eyes twitched, his eyes shaking behind his glasses. **"First…the noisy one."** Before the man could say anything, Shepherd swung his clawed arm.

The blonde-haired loudmouth was sent flying…and he didn't get back up.

"YAMADA!" Midnight cried. Aizawa, despite his wounds, rushed to his friend's body and propped him up. He's still breathing, but his pulse was weak. The Commissioner General however, chose this moment to go on the offensive. "Don't falter! Set the Sonic Resonance Guns to the highest output and blast him to the ground!" However, the sludge villain had other plans.

No more of those annoying sound weapons.

Before anyone could pull the trigger, his two tails snatched the nearest police by their ankles, yanking them off the ground and swung them against their own forces like a meatbat. With a few powerful swings, nearly all of them were sent crashing to the pavement.

Aizawa became visibly ticked off alongside Midnight, the two charging straight at him, the former not caring if he can't use his [Erasure] quirk anymore. "That's enough!"

**"P-Pocket f-full of posies…!"** Shepherd's tails hardened rapidly into spiked appendages before lashing them out. With his speed, Aizawa was able to dodge the fast-striking sludge while moving forward, Midnight trailing behind him. Once the Erasure-hero managed to get close enough, he kicked high and intended to give a blow to the temple strong enough to knock him out.

Shepherd however, deflected such an attack easily with his tail, snarling ferociously. Aizawa just retreated back and used his capture cloth to wrap around the sludge appendage, pulling hard and snap the tail right in half. Midnight ran up from behind, tearing layers of her clothing to release generous volumes of purple smoke towards the boy. He howled with annoyance and anger, turning his attention toward both of them. **"ANNOYING!"** he screamed, from a mass of gathering sludge he quickly reformed his broken tail and flicked both of his tails. Both Aizawa and Nemuri were knocked back.

"My [Somnambulist] had no effect?! Even though he's a male?!" an alarmed Midnight exclaimed.

"No, it's working! He's more sluggish now! Use this chance to corner him!"

They continued to throw themselves onto him, using their respective weapons to hack away at the sludge. Shepherd growled angrily, his body being encompassed with pain and sluggishness. It hurts…it hurts…the pain was wrecking his mind.

He could feel the voices haunting him as the battle wore on…he had to destroy him fast! NO MORE PAIN!

**"Hehehehahaha…I'M GONNA DYE YOU BLACK! LET'S ALL FALL DOWN!"** with a bestial roar, the sludge which armoured his body exploded outwards, shooting poisonous shards in every direction, causing the watching crowd to scream in terror.

"Evade! Use the sonic guns to protect the crowd!"

Midnight and Eraserhead were forced to evade. The former used her whip to throw a broken signboard to block some of the shards aimed towards the spectating crowd. "Get away from here!" Nemuri shouted. "It's not safe here!"

"Those who are still alive, guard the perimeter and block those shards with the sonic guns!" The Commissioner General hollered to his men. "So this is Shepherd…What a monster…!"

Shepherd slammed his hands on the pavement, continuing to pant and snarl and scream in agony. Dammit, why won't they die?! Why do they keep bothering him?! The pain was not going away…He was going crazy.

_'You have power…'_ the voice of Stain echoed in his mind_. 'but what you seek is nothing more than a childish dream."_

Power…? Yes…I need more power…to go beyond…to end my pain…!

_'Power is meaningless without a proper cause. In the end…you will be purged by those fakes.'_

The voices…they just won't stop…!

_"If you keep giving into your impulses…you are nothing more than a howling beast."_

**"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"** Shepherd screamed with pain, clutching his head tightly. The sludge being produced within his body increased at a dangerous pace. His scorpion-like tails lashed about wildly due to the pain; their barbed tips tearing everything apart while they expanded in size. His sharp nails clawed at his mask which was beginning to grow more bestial, purple eyes blazing with unhinged madness, and more sludge oozed like a waterfall.

He had to go more…more power…EVEN STRONGER!

"…back…" The Commissioner General whispered out. "Stay back…you vil-!"

**_*CRASH!*_**

The Commissioner General was cut off as Shepherd's clawed fist made contact with his face. The police officer was hurled into the air and crashed through the window of a department stall. Inside, his face was heavily bruised and bleeding, his arm bent at an odd angle. After a painful hiss, his eyes rolled back.

**"…weak."** Shepherd said with a dark chuckle before finding himself bombarded with gunfire. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" the police screamed with rage as they pelted him with bullets, the loss of the highest commanding officer had thrown all their reasoning into disarray. However, their eyes widened in shock when they saw the boy being guarding by his sludge tendrils. He gave them a bored look. **"…Is that all?"** He took their despaired silence as a yes. **"…My turn."**

His tails pounded the pavement, acting as a boost to his acceleration as he launched himself forward. Aizawa and Midnight grimaced as they prepared themselves…but the hellhound had other targets; the cowards shooting from the back.

The police couldn't react quickly to his movements and without a hero; they were dead. Their blighted corpses were scattered across the place, blood blossoming like dark flowers, their faces locked in pure terror.

"You-!" Midnight rushed in, her costume ripped to the point where her sleeping gas was released in overwhelming amounts, making its way to Shepherd.

Without even looking, Shepherd back-flipped into the air with his tails, before slamming them back down to create a massive shockwave which blew everything away and knocked Midnight off her feet. He turned slightly so that only one eye was glaring at her.

Midnight froze. Her body trembled. She instinctively feared this child. In a mere second, the villain appeared in front of the curvaceous woman. Driven by fear and adrenaline, she aimed to kick him away with her strength.

But the sludge claw caught her leg, and used the other to grab her throat. He slowly applied pressure to her neck, driving the toxins of his sludge through her skin.

He forced her knees to the ground, watching her squirm in pain. When she was eye-leveled with him, he drove his sludge clawed fist into her stomach. He could hear several bones breaking from that impact alone. Not relinquishing the grip on her neck, he swung her aside, throwing her where he had felled Present-Mic. **"…only one hero left."**

"That's enough…!" Aizawa shouted, bursting through the smoke, his goggles completely broken, and angry eyes obstructed with blood, and a broken piece of a telephone pole in his right hand. He swung the capture cloth and tied both of his two sludge tails together. With a swift twist, Aizawa yelled and wedged them apart from Shepherd at the base.

The black tentacles broke apart, and Aizawa pressed on in a silent frenzy. Before Shepherd could react, Aizawa was already upon him, swinging his leg towards Shepherd's sternum with all his might. The impact resounded across the street, and something cracked. Shepherd howled in pain, oozing out more sludge for defense. Aizawa readied his fist as he brushed against Shepherd's sludge claws, lowering his body and delivered a secondary strike to where he hit the boy previously.

Internal bleeding could be felt, forcing Shepherd down on one knee. Aizawa wasted no time in dealing out more damage, and grabbed the villain by the hair, slamming his knee into his face. He inwardly scowled in annoyance, dully noting how painfully hard the sludge mask formed around Shepherd's face was. Shepherd was reeling back in agony, leaning back as Aizawa swung the metal pole into his shoulder, tearing through the boy's flesh at his shoulder and driving it down with so much force it embedded itself on the concrete, pinning down Shepherd.

**"G-GARGHHHH!"**

Aizawa cursed at himself for doing this to a child…but with this…he can be…

**"N-No more pain...no more...!"**

But with his broken body shaken over, Shepherd forced himself back up with his face still diluted with madness and insanity as a shaky arm reached for the metallic rod , grabbing the end with one hand. Crimson red flesh began to sew together like a spider's web, already working on the damage. Bone was mending, flesh recovering, and torn muscles were re-knitting. **"N-No more pain…"** Shepherd gurgled, hissing with pain as he pulled Aizawa's makeshift wedge out from his shoulder. **"No m-more…!"**

"What kind of insane recovery is this?!"

Without saying anything else, Shepherd's sludge reformed into their twin barbed tails, their ends crystallizing into shards of poisonous ooze. He fired a volley, a good amount of them finding their mark on Aizawa.

The Erasure-hero did not have the energy to set up a proper defense, now with his arms and legs riddled with toxic bullets, he collapsed on one knee, taking deep heavy breaths as a searing pain assaulted his being.

.

With this…with this…no one can hurt him anymore…

.

_***Belch-!***_

Crimson liquid suddenly vomited out of his mouth.

Suddenly his world was spinning and he nearly fell over. His hands made contact with the concrete, a feeling of pain and agony shot up through her body. He could feel his body forcing him to cough his lungs out, a metallic taste left on his mouth. Blood? With shaky hands, he brought it to his mouth – only to confirm as he saw the liquid. The sludge surrounding him was also beginning to fall into puddles as he lost power.

Too much…produced too much sludge…t-the poison…!

Not now...not when he was this close...!

.

Aizawa grew confused when Shepherd suddenly fell down painfully and clutched his forehead; screaming out incoherent ramblings as his quirk was beginning to weaken. "What happened?"

.

A black and purple portal suddenly appeared behind him; yellow eyes shimmering from within. "Quickly!"

A pair of slender arms helped Shepherd stabilized his position from the ground, and a pair of concerned eyes met his.

"...S-Shizune...? Y-You woke up...?"

"Hang on…we're almost there!" Shizune looked worse for wear; bruises on her face and a bullet wound through her thigh. She slowly supported Shepherd with surprising strength. "Almost…!"

.

"DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!"

Aizawa was very close, just a small distance away before he could grab at either of the two young villains – close enough to see the expression of slight panic on the purple-haired girl's face as she dragged Shepherd into the black and purple portal. _This boy is too dangerous!_ The black and purple portal opened wider just behind them, and Aizawa swung the remains of his capture cloth as the [Psychosis] quirk girl jumped through the portal, pulling her companion along with her.

_He stopped for some reason-! WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LET HIM ESCAPE AND RECOVER!_

His trusty alloy cloth and years of experience rewarded him; the tattered capture weapon of Aizawa streaked towards Shepherd and wrapped around his arm before he receded into the portal himself. With a grunt, Aizawa yanked the cloth hard like a fishing line, and Shepherd's right arm popped back out of the warp gate. Aizawa's eyes hardened with pure rage, and he continued to reel him in.

_I'M NOT LETTING YOU GET AWAY!_

But before he could drag her any further though, the portal quickly closed and amputated Shepherd's arm at the elbow in a fountain of blood. Aizawa fell back on his rear in shock, the remains of Shepherd's arm lying on the ground in a pool of blood as the villains vanished entirely into the portal.

_They…they sacrificed his arm?!_

_._

**=[League of Villains Hideout]=**

"N-Not again…!" Shepherd screamed violently once Shizune released her hold on him, holding his bleeding stump of an arm, and poisonous black splotches plagued his entire body. "It hurts…the voices…v-voices won't…stop…!"

Shizune was confused by this abnormal condition. Was his current condition related to some kind of mental trauma? "Shepherd…please…you're okay now…I can't believe you," She glared at Kurogiri. "You cut off his arm?!"

"A lost limb is better than having him captured," Kurogiri intoned solemnly, like this was a daily occurrence; his cold tone making the girl shudder. "Restoring his arm is possible with his [Regeneration], so there is no need for worry. We will send him to the Doctor and patch him up."

"But-!" she whispered, her eyes flashed with concern.

"I-I must be stronger…stronger...!" His body shivered uncontrollably, the drawbacks of the fight kicking in and making his body spasm in pain. "W-Want...don't want the p-pain to return…!"

The girl visibly winced. There must be something she could do…wait, mental trauma? She immediately picked up the flute she recovered earlier, and quickly played a smoothing tune as she held him tightly, his body shaking like a leaf. "Hold on…there's something I can do."

Shizune continued to caressed Shepherd's bloodied white hair as a gentle melody resounded across the room. "It's going to be alright now. No one here will hurt us anymore, Shepherd-san…"

A calmness rushed over everyone like a cool breeze. All of Shepherd's screaming was soon drowned in Shizune's emotion-manipulating quirk, making the boy slowly regain his focus thanks to the calm melody.

"S-Shizune…!" Tears continued to spill from his eyes, but his breathing has calmed down significantly, the madness dwindling from his eyes. "Sorry…I'm so s-sorry…! I was weak…you got h-hurt…!"

"If it wasn't for you, I would have been captured by the heroes; you're not weak." Shizune assured him, holding the crying boy tight to let him know she was still there. "Please rest easy now…just rest..."

.

**=[To be Continued]=**

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A/N: The thirst for strength has unlocked a whole new threshold for Shepherd, but at what cost? Write a comment on what you think! The next chapter will be the Training Camp Arc. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

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	11. The League's Newest Members

A/N: Hi everyone! I've reached a hundred favourites and follows for this story so thanks again for you patient readers who have been supporting his story. For those who are interested in seeing Shepherd's face and the way he fights, you can go to **deviantart** and search for the account '**SurreaLeon**'. I've posted a new picture there!

On to reviews:

CREED6: Thanks for the review! Regarding your question, Midoriya has to tell the truth about the villain sooner or later to his classmates, but not that soon. Second, it's still too early for me to consider a final battle scene. One step at a time.

Thundqh: Welcome to the story! It's great to read your comment, and Shepherd still has a long way to go before he reaches that point.

ErisFootWorshipper: Thanks. I have help from Tokyo Ghoul.

Goatlike: Glad to hear you enjoyed the story. Welcome!

Guest: Thanks for the compliment!

Betacode79: You'll just have to wait and see! The camp will be quite exciting.

Alexanderjuarez499: Thanks for the review. Your question has been answered in the top message. It's in deviantart.

Donovan2771: Shepherd has a lot of freedom for his quirk…but his weapon morphing will always remain as long as he doesn't go berserk.

J Nation14: Thanks! A villain is so much more fun to write in my opinion.

weslyschraepen: You'll just have to wait and see!

Raven Mordrake: You really predicted it…enjoy the chapter!

Phelipebr: Glad to hear you are satisfied. Enjoy the chapter!

Now, onwards!

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**Chapter 11: The League's Newest Members.**

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.

_"Hey, did you hear what happened last night?"_

_"They say the heroes arrested the hero-killer! Holy crap!"_

_"For real?! Who took him down?"_

_"Did you see the video?"_

_"Yeah dude! Pretty intense, kind of made him disappointed that he's caught so fast."_

_"Not that! The other one; about Shepherd!"_

_"Wha-! Are you crazy?! I can't sleep after watching that nightmare fuel!"_

_"How scary…!"_

_"You're the bastard who sent me that video?! I got nightmares because of you!"_

_"I can somewhat relate to the Hero Killer's words…but isn't that Shepherd guy just a pure psycho? I can't believe he was the one who escaped capture. At least Stain only targets heroes…!"_

_"Just what are the heroes doing? Letting a monster like that roam free..."_

_"Was the video really that scary?"_

_._

_._

**=[News Report]=**

_And now we move on to the Hosu riot incident, where around 8pm yesterday night, a large-scale disturbance was thought to be instigated by 5 villains in the district. Other than the creatures known to the public as 'Noumu', the man thought to be pulling the strings tonight, S-rank villain Akaguro Chizome or more popularly known by the alias 'Stain' has been apprehended by Endeavor and many other heroes present last night._

_Another S-rank villain confirmed to have ties to the Villain Alliance, 'Shepherd', has also been spotted in the vicinity along with another unknown villain by local police. Despite being dealt grievous wounds by the combined efforts of several other Pro-heroes, he has escape and is now still currently at large._

_This marks the first time in hero history that 2 extremely dangerous criminals of the nation were together in one place, and investigations are still ongoing in regards to the connection between these seemingly random attacks by the League of Villains._

_Several videos taken during the night of the attack had been uploaded to several platforms, until the order was made to immediately delete those videos, because they were deemed too graphic by local authorities. Citizens of Hosu have expressed their frustration after the apparent failed attempt to suppress the S-rank villain has been uploaded by a citizen who was near the scene that night. In response to this, heroes and Hosu Police Chief Tsuragamae Kenji have urged the populace to be on their guard, and promised tighter security._

_The villain 'Shepherd' is still at large, and if you see any individual who resembles him, please remain calm and dial the hotline of police. Coming up next, we'll investigate the motives of the Hero Killer Stain as he awaits treatment in the villain hospital…_

_._

**=[3 weeks before. The Night after the Hosu Riot]=**

"What the heck were you doing?!" Shepherd dodged a glass cup as it sailed over him and shattered against the wall of Kurogiri's bar.

Kurogiri said as he used his warp quirk to clean up the mess. Tomura had been throwing unreasonable tantrums ever since the attack on Hosu. It seems the media was more interested in Stain and Shepherd, rather than him.

"At least there was a silver lining. We managed to recruit Siren into the League…" The misty bartender told the enraged [Decay] user. "And we may have even more members thanks to the media coverage of the attacks." He purposely left out the fact that they were drawn in by the videos showcasing Stain and Shepherd, and he ducked once more when another glass was shattered over his head, as soon as news reporters on the television mentioned 'Hero Killer'.

"…that's my line…you Man-child!" Shepherd tried to control his bubbling anger as he faced his despicable leader whose childish tendencies were beginning to irate him. "…I nearly died because of you…! I heard what happened from Kurogiri…you planned that attack because you want to get more attention than the Hero Killer…?! How lame is that...?!"

"Don't change the topic!" Tomura snarled at him. "Not only did you kill off one of our Noumus yourself, but you also got your face plastered in the news from escaping three Pro-heroes sent to capture you! And the League? We got reduced to being treated as second bananas while you two took the spotlight! WHY?!"

"Wait Tomura…but that wish was granted." Kurogiri intervened and caused the [Decay] user to give a confused look. "The infamy of the League has been spread to new heights, Tomura." Shigaraki reluctantly stepped away from Shepherd as he listened to Kurogiri, while he was disintegrating the third glass in his hand to dust.

"What Shepherd did was for your wish Tomura. His trip to Hosu was not only to recruit our newest member…but also to spread the League's name and fear."

"What are you talking about?" Shigaraki glared at him while Shepherd gave a baffled look at the bartender; the latter giving the [Toxic Sludge] user a silent message: _Just go along with me._

"Shepherd's appearance at Hosu was not a coincidence…he was given permission to go there by Sensei," Kurogiri explained. "Shepherd is already a well-known member of the League, and having him fight a few Pro-Heroes was all part of the plan; a plan to spread the power and influence of the League." Shigaraki remained silent as he digested this information. "If you pay attention to the reviews, public fear for the villains has never been higher, and there are just as much attention for the League as there are regarding the Hero Killer. Shepherd has fought for your sake, Tomura."

Shepherd felt the sudden urge to gag.

"...Is that so?"

_"I almost lost my life though…"_ Shepherd thought angrily as he realized what Kurogiri was trying to do. Without much of a choice if he wanted to end this troublesome matter, he hissed out. "…that's right…I did it for you, Shigaraki…"

"I see," Shigaraki grinned with his cracked lips, finally understanding. "And here I thought you are doing things on your own."

"You know Shepherd treasures the League's interest, enough to risk his life." Kurogiri defended the kid, determined to somewhat improve the relationship between the two. "At the end of the day, the influence of us villains shall grow stronger."

Shepherd almost hurled at the sound of Shigaraki's praise, but chose to remain silent anyway.

.

.

**=[Present. Kamino Outskirts. Unknown Warehouse]=**

Supu Ringu. Pro-Hero name: Springer. A Pro-hero with 3 years of experience handling solo-capture missions and raids using his [Spring Limb] quirk, which allow him to bounce at high speeds. A small upstart, he owns a small hero agency with two sidekicks.

Right now, this man…was trembling in front of the lone boy, in the dark factory where he had gained intel was where a Villain Alliance meeting was supposed to be held, breathing heavily and clutching a black, infected wound on his chest.

"This…was a trap…!" said the Pro-hero in a terrified voice. "The intel that this place was a sub-base of the League of Villains…was a ruse…!"

The boy gazed upon him with a bestial look in his eyes.

"…we have about 5 other fake addresses scattered throughout the underground network," the white-haired boy replied. "…you should not rely on the underground brokers so much…even they know what happens if they carelessly give any information about the League…this is a rat trap to hunt the nosy heroes who are investigating our base…and tonight, we have caught an exceptionally big rodent."

The Pro-hero glared at the boy, a white-haired beast wearing a black jacket with a furred collar, a black iron mask resembling a canine's jaw glinting evilly under the moonlight.

The hero growled and proceed to exert strength to his legs, planning to use his spring-like legs to bounce his way out of here.

Nothing happened.

The man's vision suddenly began swirling and an extreme sense of vertigo assaulted his mind when a haunting melody entered his ears.

"This is-!"

The hero reflexively tried to punch the mysterious assailant with his other hand, but the weird flute music was hindering his movements and thoughts. Without much trouble, the man fell to the ground, as his body lost all of its strength.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A second person spoke from behind, a soft feminine voice with a tone as cold as ice.

"…Shizune, your job was to guard the perimeter and prevent anyone from escaping or entering this place with your quirk." The boy replied, his eyes flashing with slight anger. "…don't stray from your assigned role...I never asked for help."

"This man was about to use his quirk…I was worried."

From the darkness behind the Pro-hero, a wooden flute could be seen being held by a slender hand. It was a petite girl with shoulder-length purple hair styled unevenly, with skin so white that bones could be seen behind her. She wore a dark-grey blouse which matched her plain black skirt, black tights and purple sneakers. Her most distinguishable feature was the visor which hid her eyes, resembling feathers.

"...I'll handle the enemies...while you are to support me only...Is that so hard to understand?"

"I...I understand. I apologized for that."

The girl didn't alter her expression as she said that, but showed her compliance through her eyes before she withdrew the flute from her lips.

"You…I can't believe it…!" While supporting his shaking body, the Pro-hero Springer crawled on the ground with an expression of agony. "You're the B-rank villain who drove an entire platoon of policemen insane with her music, Siren? To think that you're with the League of Villains…!"

"Not for the League…" the girl slipped quietly back to the boy's side. "But for him."

"Wait…but if you're here-" The man creaked his head towards the boy beside the girl. "Y-You're…you're that crazy lunatic from the video-! Shepherd-!"

As the hero tried to stumble away to crawl away, Shepherd closed the distance in an instance and morphed the sludge on his right hand into a hellish double-edge blade, before lashing out towards the hero and threw him into the air. An onslaught of savage strikes pierced the Spring-hero's body before the sludge blade pinned him on the warehouse ceiling. An agonized cry range through the air. Blood rained down upon Shepherd, coloring his white hair red.

"…This...is why I wanted you to stay at your post."

Shizune looked at the crucified Pro-hero overhead and shivered slightly, eyes wide.

Shepherd lowered the hero's twitching body within arm's reach, and grabbed his head, pulling his hair back roughly until they were staring eye to eye. "A Pro-hero always has his sidekicks to help him…where are they?"

The hero croaked incoherently. "L-Long gone…!"

Two sludge appendages resembling scorpion tails burst out of Shepherd's back and tore both of the hero's arms away with two swift swipes, the boy's eyes gazing at the hero unflinchingly.

Shizune gulped.

The hero spasmed in pain, his screams echoing across the warehouse. Shizune's voice was lost in it as she whispered, "Shepherd…e-enough…You've won…"

"_Where are they?_" Shepherd asked the hero again. "Tell me, and I'll make your death quick."

The poisonous sludge tightened around the man, driving the metallic toxins in and making the man screamed in pain.

"They're…long gone…" he repeated painfully. "You won't touch them…you damn monster."

"A hero to the end…? I see…" Shepherd used one of the sludge appendages to dangle the hero's body in the air, while the other had its pointed tip poised to kill. Like he'd promised, he was going to make it quick, and Shizune saw the black tendril raised its barbed edge towards the heart.

"You don't have to do this…isn't our job tonight just to drive off the heroes in Kamino Ward?" Shizune said, quietly; a trembling hand tugging at the boy's jacket, silently pleading for him to stop, even though she knew he wasn't going to listen to her. The ease with which he inflicted pain to his opponents was something she could never understand. Her eyes were wide with terror, and her hands flew to her mouth to stifle a sob so it wouldn't reach Shepherd's ears; the boy had always hated people crying for some reason.

But he'd heard it, and he turned to her with a slightly irritated glare…but it softened upon seeing how she's much she actually cared. He just sighed wearily and told her with a hard look.

"…If you don't kill the enemy…they will return to hurt you…" he said quietly, "That's just how it is for me…"

Knowing she can't do anything at this point of time, she helplessly averted her eyes away from the gory scene, trying her best not to hear the hero's tortured screams and the terrifying silence that soon followed it.

.

"Even more heroes are investigating Kamino Ward, haven't they?"

"…That's right…I believe it's only a matter of time until a head-on confrontation is inevitable."

"The League will be cornered soon…won't it?"

"…who knows?"

"Even more killing?" Shizune asked with a melancholic tone.

"…I'm going to follow Sensei's orders…I'll destroy anyone who dares oppose the League…so..." The boy glanced at the lavender-haired girl. "…there's no reason to worry..."

Shepherd and Shizune left the warehouse and walked quietly by the sea. But after walking for a few seconds, Shepherd felt something built up in his throat and kneeled down in a coughing fit.

"Are you okay?" Shizune ran up to him quickly.

"It's nothing…!" Shepherd crawled on his knees. "Nothing at all…!"

Shizune quickly opened the black furred-collar jacket and removed the mask from his mouth. Blood dripping down from his mouth as he violently coughed. Black poisonous splotches could be seen on his neck.

"This has been happening more frequently since Hosu..." Shizune said softly, her voice lacing with slight worry and passed a handkerchief, allowing the boy to wipe the crimson liquid off his chin while the girl examined his condition. "Your [Super Regeneration] doesn't appear to be working..."

"I'm fine…Shizune." Shepherd said with difficulty. "Sensei said that this is merely a small side-effect when my [Toxic Sludge] increased its power, if anything…I'm happy. With this...I can be stronger."

"But…"

"...I'm fine." Shepherd said with finality.

.

"I've sent for you, Shepherd."

Kurogiri stood in front of him, his misty head flickering under the streetlight as he gave a small bow.

"…Kurogiri," Shepherd greeted bitterly as he secured back his mask. "...It's unlike you to fetch us directly…did something happen?"

"A few things actually. It's regarding the next operation Tomura had in mind." Kurogiri nodded slightly. "Sensei would like all of us to assemble to hear about his plan, as well as the several new recruits we have managed to procure specifically for the next operation. This includes you as well, Siren."

"Understood." Shepherd stood up and held himself upright on shaky legs. "Lead the way, Kurogiri. Let's see what the Man-child has in store for us this time."

.

**=[UA Faculty Meeting Room]=**

"We ran some tests using Shepherd's detached arm left in Hosu when he fought with Eraserhead, and the forensics division have compared it to the blood sample left behind by Hakazuka Kotaro behind Aldera Junior Highschool." Detective Naomasa began in front of the UA staff. "Just as we feared…it was a perfect match." He took out the forensic analysis. "And in regards to our capture attempt…we have severely underestimated him."

"Of course," Aizawa Shoto replied seriously, bandages across his body from the fight in Hosu. "We're lucky that Nemuri and Yamada got off with bone fractures and metal poisoning. Unlike the case with Stain, we actually let the villain escaped; there will be no doubt that he will return even stronger than before."

"How can a lone boy fend off 3 Pro-heroes, including you and your [Erasure]? Your quirk is supposed to be the fail-safe of the villain capture." Cementoss questioned, wincing slightly at his colleague's injuries.

"The plan was perfect until the moment another villain interfered," Aizawa sighed heavily, thinking through the events of Hosu. "The moment I had my attention shifted to the girl who helped him, the boy targeted my eyes first and hindered my vision. In that moment, he went berserk and brought everyone down. He isn't just a psychopath who fights wildly; he actually knows how to adapt and counter our moves." He paused, feeling the huge gash on his forehead aching still.

"That kid's bad news…very bad news."

"Enough of that," Vlad King interrupted. "I don't really know how a kid ended up like that…but wouldn't it be more productive to learn more about this villain? His weaknesses? Anything to give us an edge?"

"Vlad King, this villain's unstable state of mind is what's unsettling," Snipe spoke up from his seat. "I don't need to fight him to know that he is somewhat mentally deranged. How did a quirkless boy thought to be dead turn into _that_?"

"Yes…we figured that it was the former; the boy had displayed an unquenchable desire to fight for the sake of the League, so overflowing that it can be considered an obsession." Naomasa Tsukauchi flipped through his notes, his tone heavy. "Due to his extremely tendencies to break down into fits during his fights, we have reasons to believe that he has been conditioned into a villain forcefully."

"But…how can a quirkless child have multiple quirks-!"

"It's possible," Toshinori explained further. "I can't spare you details now…but we have proof that there is a man out there; a man with a quirk which allows him to give or take way quirks from others. You have seen those Noumu in Hosu…how do you explain their possession of multiple quirks? That boy was probably made the same way, but only…" he paused due to anger. "…much worse."

"That's how it is," the small white animal said. "A young mind broken to serve evil. How are the measures about possible rescue from the police department?"

"About that," the detective frowned. "There have been debates in regards to the punishment for the villain, but after the true identity of the boy is proven, we have been reduced to two choices. Very few opted for the rescue and possible rehabilitation of Shepherd…" Naomasa's lips drew into a hard line. "…or the worst case, life sentence in Tartarus if he is deemed too dangerous."

"Forget about capture," Aizawa snapped. "As long as that annoying [Warp Gate] guy exist, taking villains alive will be near impossible."

"That is why we are changing our approach." Naomasa replied. "We have to focus our efforts to find the League's hideout first. Find the League, we find Shepherd and the others."

Though it was easier said than done. All that had on the League were three known members at large, and the bodies of the Noumus. As long as the [Warp Gate] user exist, it is near impossible to pinpoint their base of operations.

"We just have to keep looking, I suppose." Aizawa stated with a heavy sigh. "That's the only thing we can do now."

.

**=[UA. Class 1-A classroom]=**

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! WHAT THE HECK IS WITH YOUR HAIR BAKUGO?!"

"SHUT UP…OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

The early morning atmosphere of the class started off with Kirishima and Sero's laughter, as Bakugo entered with a ridiculously neat hairstyle, and the rest of the class tried their best to keep the contagious laughter to themselves.

"But you know who really changed?" Kaminari's voice cut in, "Those three!" he made everyone's gaze followed his towards Midoriya, Iida and Todoroki, who were directly involved in the Hosu riot.

"Yeah," Kirishima chimed in, "I've heard what happened with the Hero Killer, I'm glad you guys are alright."

"I was worried too…" Yaoyorozu added with a frown.

"You guys were lucky that Endeavor was there," Oijrou added. "I can't imagine what'll happen if he wasn't there…"

Hagakure butted in right after the [Tail] quirk user. "He isn't the number 2 hero in Japan for nothing!"

"Yeah…he sure saved us." The dual-elementalist boy calmly replied, with Midoriya and Iida nodding approvingly. "And please don't act so impulsively class prez…you really had us worried there."

"I'm terribly ashamed of my misconduct," Iida apologized sheepishly.

"But you guys weren't the only ones in trouble," Mineta spoke up, seeming to notice that they left out one major detail of the Hosu Riot. "Didn't you hear what happened to Present-Mic sensei and Midnight sensei? They got hospitalized from engaging the villain Shepherd who was suddenly spotted in Hosu that night as well! That video was crazy~!"

"Mineta-san!" Yaoyorozu scolded, getting the boy to shut up as several people in the class developed dark expressions upon hearing that name; especially the ones who had faced the [Toxic Sludge] user directly during the USJ.

"Shepherd?" Hagakure asked.

"Oh that's right. You were one of the few who didn't fight him during the USJ invasion. He's the one who hospitalized Thirteen and temporary relieved her of hero duty."

"I saw the video of his fight, and I'm pretty much disturbed by his mental state," Ojirou frowned, folding his arms across his chest. "Too bad he escaped. I seen the news that another villain interfered with Eraserhead sensei and help him avoid capture."

"…if we were to face him in the future, we're just about fucked, aren't we?" Kirishima added.

"At least your [Hardening] saved you from his poison," Shoji, the [Dupli-arms] quirk user commented. "Some of us nearly got killed back then…"

"Seriously?" Kaminari winced, "just what kind of monster is he?"

"Strong enough to fight against me, Bakugo, Midoriya and Kirishima in a fight." Everyone's attention turned to Todoroki as he said that. "He can liquefy and harden that annoying sludge of his at will into various weapons; an extremely versatile emitter-type quirk." Shoto stated, his face pensive and serious. "Even if we manage to get a clean hit on him…he recovers quickly because he has a regenerative quirk as well, right?" Kirishima nodded.

"Is it possible for a guy to be born with two quirks?" Ashido asked.

"Hm, there hasn't been such an occurance." Yaoyorozu explained. "Children will either take one of his parents' quirks, or the mix of the two, or in rare cases…inherit none of them. Due to this, there have been theories that this 'Shepherd' is the same as those Noumus, which is to say…bestowed a quirk by a third party."

_***CRASH!***_

A table was smashed into the wall, and its ash blonde-haired owner stood up with a barely controlled furious look on his face. "Shut the fuck up…whining like hurt puppies and admiring some low-life villain. It's giving me the creeps, dammit!" He stomped towards the door, casting one last glance at the perplexed expressions of his classmates. "Looks like I'm not the only one who hasn't changed in the internships! You extras are still bitching about the guy who p'wn your asses! How about doing something more productive for a change?!"

Kirishima had his mouth agape in shock, while the small group of Iida, Uraraka, Ashido and Yaoyorozu, with the addition of Todoroki and Tsuyu were all staring at him with expressions of anger on their faces. As he went out of the classroom, Iida turned to them. "He's gotten worse, did we even say something wrong?" he asked, a frown on his face. Everyone didn't like seeing him like that. He seemed to be affected by the Shepherd incident the most.

"C'mon give the guy a break," Kirishima rubbed his hair in an irate manner. "That guy's probably salty from having his ass kicked by the villain back in the USJ. That guy just can't stand losing…"

"Unlike him, we were actually wounded and poisoned back then," grumbled Ashido, not hiding her distaste for her explosive classmate. "What are we, chopped liver?"

"Back to the topic, so what do we do?" Hagakure's face fell, looking worried. "Then, what would we do if that Shepherd shows up again? When we are out there facing villains? Even Aizawa sensei can't stop him…!"

"Don't worry, an antidote has been formulated to counter the villain Shepherd's signature poison, and they are placing more teachers to supervise our activities as an extra precaution."

"Thinking about it," Todoroki suddenly said. "Back then in the USJ, only Midoriya was left fighting against Shepherd while the rest of us are down. I'm not sure what happened…but the villain seemed to be suffering in great pain after facing Midoriya. I wonder what happened? Does he really have some sort of weakness?"

Kirishima whistled. "Damn, I didn't hear about that at all! That's pretty manly Midoriya! Tell us what you did to drive him off – Midoriya?"

"Deku-kun? Deku-kun?"

"E-eh?" Midoriya, who had been silent the entire time, looked at a worried Uraraka. "S-sorry, what?"

"Geez Midoriya, did you space out while we're talking about something so serious? We wanted to ask what you did to drive off that Shepherd villain at the USJ! Did he had some sort of weakness?"

"Oh…that," Everyone went slightly confused at Midoriya's despondent reaction. "To be honest…I'm just lucky. The villain just started spasming in pain and went insane…that's what I think."

"Oh…that's okay. Are you really okay Midoriya?"

"Hmm no problem, just a little tired from the internships." Izuku chuckled nervously.

For some reason, the way he was speaking didn't sit well with Uraraka.

_"He's lying…"_

.

**=[Unknown Location]=**

"I never thought the Hero Killer would get captured, but…" All for One commented as he was tended to by Daruma. "…for the most part, things have certainly gotten interesting. The schlubs who just want to run wild and those who sympathize…all sorts of people will seek the villain alliance as a place where they can fulfil their various desires. Shigaraki Tomura, his position is to unify and supervise them!"

"I really wonder if that immature kid can do it." The doctor replied. "I think things might have gone more smooth if you have stepped in earlier, Sensei."

"Haha…if that's so, then patch me up faster, doctor. These wounds have been annoyingly aching…reminding me of _that man_. A shame that the [Super Regeneration] I obtained two years ago isn't enough to heal cicatrized injuries"

"Almost there," Daruma assured. "Thanks to the testings on Shepherd, the production of a more potent regeneration quirk serum will be concocted ahead of schedule. I just need a little more time…"

"That's true, but it did save Shepherd's life." Daruma told him. "The amount of sludge he could produce has increased exponentially, though his body was almost overwhelmed by the toxins…"

"And I trust that you managed to fix up his body?"

Daruma gave a wry smile. "Oh I patched him up alright, but even I can't tell just how long can his body hold up. It's only a matter of time until we have to use something more powerful than [Super Regeneration] to keep his deteriorating body in one piece."

"Well that's good enough I suppose. What's most important is to let him continue fighting, and with the addition of Siren into our ranks, there is a lower chance of him going berserk."

"Was this all part of your plan?" The doctor questioned while he worked. "On that night, you allowed him to go to Hosu despite the fact that the heroes had a tight eye on him. If he wasn't so lucky, he might have been taken down by the heroes and captured."

"As opposed to Shigaraki, what Shepherd needs to grow…is 'fear'."

"Fear, you say?"

"Fear is natural for anyone, regardless if you're a hero, villain…even All-Might feels fear." All for One stated, tapping his fingers on the table in a bored manner. "As opposed to Shigaraki, Shepherd was born from his fear of 'being weak'. Shepherd may be powerful now…but without constant fear, he will be prone to making mistakes, and he would underestimate his opponents that could bring him down. Without fear, Shepherd will be overconfident, and the heroes will capture him sooner or later."

He could not see, but he sensed the doctor beside him and gave him a wry smile. "I will continue to give him that 'fear'…and evolve his strength to greater heights."

"That's a rather morbid way of guidance, even for you Sensei." Daruma chuckled before his mustache twitched with slight nervousness. "The boy has never been more loyal to you; listening to your every will and whim. But…won't beating him down too much have the opposite effect?"

"That's a reasonable concern," Sensei nodded. "But we can always re-condition him…altering his memories." Daruma raised an eyebrow, and grew slightly disturbed when he saw an unsettling smile on All for One's face. "His anger, hatred, pain…we will redirect it to the heroes."

His smile grew wider. "My two beloved sons…so different, yet so alike. Enjoy this transient peace while you can All-Might…my prodigies will bring an end to that...and crush it underfoot!"

.

**=[League of Villains Hideout. Kurogiri's Bar]=**

"Shepherd?"

"I'm fine Shizune…don't push yourself too much."

"Mhm. Do you think Shigaraki's planning another attack on All-Might at UA?"

"Who knows…I can't fully comprehend what the Man-child is thinking. But as long as Sensei orders it, we have to do our best."

.

"Ah…glad to see you've arrived. Shepherd…and Siren." Kurogiri greeted as the [Toxic Sludge] and [Psychosis] quirk users walked through the wooden doors leading to the misty bartender's room. "Take a moment to rest for a little. Tomura is currently…preoccupied, at the moment."

Tomura was busy playing a video game on the television set in the corner, "Just stay here for a moment…I got something to brief everyone as soon as I finish this level." He said while not averting his eyes away from the screen while Shepherd entered the dimly-lit bar, making the latter more annoyed then before. Just how long more was he going to play those video games before acting like a proper leader?

"There he is! He really is here~!" A shrill feminine voice rang through the air and brought Shepherd's attention to the other side of the bar.

It was then that Shepherd noticed a few new faces in the bar. A tall dark-haired male with burnt patches of skin sewn onto his face and hands, another man with a white mask dressed in an orange trench coat and a black top hat, and a man dressed in a black and gray body suit. Lastly…

A girl with ash-blonde hair tied into two unruly buns in a school uniform, a crazed grin on her face as she watched the white-haired boy.

"...These are the new guys?" Shepherd asked warily. "…Giran's been working hard."

"Oh he's so cold! He gives me the shivers! Oh, that's hot!" Twice answered back loudly.

"…what?" Shepherd and Siren looked at Kurogiri with a puzzled look towards the man's somewhat…weird trait. Does he had some sort of personality disorder? He was contradicting what he just said. "I wasn't talking to you."

"That fellow with the paradoxical personality is Twice," Kurogiri started introducing the new recruits. "His quirk allows him to duplicate anything as long as he knows its measurements."

"Except myself, for personal reasons. Don't ask me why. Wouldn't you kill to know?!" Twice rambled as he waved at Shepherd.

"…Great. You'll fit right in." the white-haired kid greeted back sarcastically. Another weirdo was all they needed; he was just having enough with Shigaraki. "And who's the guy dressed fancy?" he asked when the aforementioned individual suddenly appeared in his view, tipping his hat in greeting.

"I'm honored to see the famous Shepherd in person, allow me to introduce myself…children." He said in a rather flamboyant way. "I am the fantastical villain and magician known as…Mr Compress." He introduced in a theatrical fashion as though he was waiting for applause.

"…" Shepherd merely scoffed in response while Siren bowed politely, making the smartly-dressed man chuckle. "At least the little lady here gets it."

"Mr Compress here has a quirk that allows him to compress and confine anything he touches," Kurogiri explained. "He does so by compressing them into small marbles."

"Moving on, the man over there called Dabi," Kurogiri gestured towards the patched up man who was drinking by himself at the counter and only glance sideways to look at Shepherd, before averting his eyes away. "His quirk [Cremation], gifts him with the ability to produce blue fire."

"Fire…" Shepherd muttered. The man's face looked familiar to him, like he'd seen the resemblance on someone else before, but he couldn't wrap his head around it…so he didn't think much of it.

"As for the last member…she would be the only other female besides Siren. A suspect in a series of deaths by blood loss, she holds a quirk that allows her to transform into anyone whom she has ingested blood from. Her name is-"

"I'm Toga Himiko! Nice to meet you…Shepherd-kun!" the girl laughed in greeting as she suddenly lunged forward much to the boy's shock. Unable to react in time, a butterfly knife embedded itself into his chest, and blood began to gather on the metal blade.

"Shepherd!" an angry cry rose from Shizune.

He grabbed the knife angrily and pulled it out in one motion, sending blood spatters across the wall. "...You crazy bitch!"

"Wow, look at how lively you are covered in blood! I think I'm falling in love~!" The mysterious girl swooned crazily as they all stood there stunned by this, a shrill giggle escaping the girl's lips. "You look so much cooler when you bleed! Can I stick it in you again? Can I~?"

This sudden attack got Shizune to quickly slam the butt of her flute into the girl's stomach and force her back, getting the latter to cast a dirty glare at Shizune. "Don't get in my way. Can't you see I'm busy expressing my love for Shepherd-kun~?"

When another knife shot out towards Shizune, Shepherd released his [Toxic Sludge] with a roar, crushing the thrown projectile in seconds and wrapped it around Toga like a death-vice, causing the girl to gasp from the crushing grip as she was dangled in the air.

Shepherd's eyes bored into Toga's as she struggled to breathe in his sludge. "It looks like the man-child hasn't briefed you guys about how we do things here…!"

"...The reason you aren't a _bloody pulp_ in my hands by now," Shepherd said quietly, "Is because Sensei forbids the killing of members within the League. If you had inflicted so much as a cut on Siren, I will tear you _limb_ from _limb_, and sprinkle the remains of your toxified remains in whatever back alley you came from."

His voice had barely gone over a whisper, but Toga and the others felt the full force of his threat behind his words bludgeoning against them like a battering ram against brittle glass. And like glass, Toga could also see the newest League members' confidence shattered in fragmented shards. Except for Dabi, who was looking at the [Toxic Sludge] user with narrowed eyes.

"...Siren is an important ally to me…and we must not harm important allies," Shepherd continued. "Keep whatever tendencies you have on the League's enemies, but leave allies out of this...You don't want to have your life cut short right here…do you?"

Shepherd directed the question at Toga, who begun blinking furiously, like a rabbit caught in the gaze of a hungry snake. A jolt of electricity ran down the [Transform] quirk user's spine, more potent than what she felt when she first saw Shepherd's video from Hosu.

"hah…hah…just like in the video…you're so crazy...!" Toga answered shakily, panting heavily, perspiration trickling on the sides of her bruised face. "So cold…I think I'm in love~!" Himiko drooled.

"Shepherd…" Kurogiri warned.

"Shepherd…" Shizune tugged at the boy's sleeve. "That's enough. Let her breathe."

Shepherd turned away from Toga, his eyes locking onto the rest of the villains again as if to drive his point home. Then, he released the [Transform] quirk girl from his sludge and re-absorbed it back to his body, before making his way back to Shizune's side.

"…"

Kurogiri had his eyes narrowed, ready to stop any unnecessary bloodshed if needed.

Mr Compress was the first to break the silence, hands clapping in applause as the room's atmosphere reverted to normal. "Bravo, my dear lad. You certainly are as powerful as the video portrayed you to be. A most impressive showing of your strength…as expected of the League's Hellhound. But to be honest…we were somewhat curious about the true nature of Shepherd; I can't believe this is the boy who displayed that extraordinary amount of madness and savagery in the Hosu incident."

The shadowy man manning the bar counter visibly relaxed when he was certain Shepherd was not planning to fight; it seems like there was no need to use his quirk. "I assure you that he easily one of the League's powerhouses. And please do not attempt another stunt like what you did with Siren." Kurogiri added a solemn warning. "Despite the way he fights, Shepherd does have concern for fellow members of the Villain Alliance. So if you pull something like that again…I cannot vouch for your safety."

"hah…hah…just like in the video…you're so much better than Stainy!" Toga hoisted herself up from her fallen state, panting and swooning heavily. "Having blood over you just makes you more tasty to look at~!" Himiko purred, cheeks going pink.

Shepherd freaked out at the reaction, taking a small step back while Siren frowned at her eccentricity. "O-Oi…!"

"Woah, Toga's getting turned on." Twice observed as he reacted exaggeratedly. "That's kinda hot…I meant belgh!"

.

"Any more crazies you want to tell us?" Shepherd asked Kurogiri.

"The rest aren't here right now," The [Warp Gate] bartender informed as he fished out a file from a portal. "These are the ones who will be meeting us on a later date."

The boy's eyes skimmed through the list; a wanted criminal, an inmate on death-row and a young mutant-type teenager.

"Just a note of caution," Kurogiri stated solemnly to Shepherd and Siren. "It would be wise to avoid unnecessary interactions with Dabi. He may be willing to work along with the League's activities, but his modus operandi has always been in line with Stain's ideology…which is to say, purge fake heroes and the like. Other than him, it would be beneficial if you two could get along with the rest of the new members."

"...Is that right? It looks like a certain blood-crazed girl has her attention on me," Shepherd jabbed a finger behind towards the aforementioned girl, who was staring at his back dreamily while twirling a knife in her hand.

.

After the introductions were done, the moment that everyone has been waiting for came: Tomura breathed out a sigh of satisfaction as he finished the final level of the game he was playing, and soon the pale light-blue haired man made his way to the bar counter to addressed the villains present. "Now then, I believe I spoke to two of you before…but just to things out of the way, I'm Shigaraki Tomura…your leader. The brat behind me is Shepherd…while the girl with the flute is called Siren. Any questions?"

As no one dared to object to that statement, Shigaraki continued with a smirk.

"I'm quite happy to get so many party members today…so now that you guys have stopped trying to kill each other…let's get this meeting started. The location of your first ever operation is the Beast's Forest located in the Nagano Prefecture, where the heroes will be conducting a training camp for the first year hero students. Our first objective is to attack the camp and put another blotch of the so called 'peace' this society seems to be so proud of. Wreak havoc, kill the students…teachers…whatever, anything goes. What I have here is a list of students which I certainly find annoying…they are the ones you should kill."

Shigaraki passed along a file of the students he had observed from the UA Sports Festival.

"So, we're going straight to killing! I like that boss! So direct! Are you crazy?!" Twice chirped happily, and Tomura ignored him completely. "I'll show you what I can do, Boss!"

"Our second objective…is one of the students from class A, the aggressive kid who was placed first in the Sports Festival and made a racket at the podium."

Shepherd raised an eyebrow at that. "Student…class A…? You are going to kidnap a weakling?"

Toga giggled at that. "Weakling he called them…he just dissed the UA's rumored cream of the crop heroes-in-training like nothing~!"

"If you'd just shut up for a while, I'll explain…" Shigaraki replied, glaring at Shepherd. "The heroes at UA are using this opportunity to toughen up the kids because of what has happened in the USJ attack. But why wait, when we'll give those kids a chance to fight real villains and knock them down a peg. Then amidst the havoc, we'll nab their top student and bring him to us…given his violent personality he'd shown on TV, it would be great if we can turn him into a villain."

Shepherd and Shizune gazed sideways at each other when their leader said that, both of them thinking the same thing. This was just an aimless attack on children, and the end result would definitely be the aggravation of the heroes and the police. This almost seemed like a childish retaliation for Shigaraki's failure at the USJ.

Shepherd could only begrudgingly listen to whatever possible reason Shigaraki could have in this plan of his.

"The end of their 'peace', and show that we're here…is that right?" Dabi smiled a little at this. "So, who is our esteemed special guest to be taken back alive?"

Shigaraki held a blown-up image of a scowling boy with red eyes and spiky ash-blonde hair, chained up in concrete shackles on a sports podium. "The number 1 star student of class A, and possibly his cohort…Bakugo Katsuki."

Shepherd froze.

That face…why did it felt like he'd known him before…? Not only that…he was giving Shepherd a nasty vibe…! His head started to throb violently; the pain he never felt for weeks was twisting his face into an agonizing cringe.

_Why…Why was that boy making him feel this way…!_

"Hmm…grouchy. He doesn't look very cute." Toga pouted. "Are there any cuter ones we can bring back here?"

"Your definition of 'cute' is fucked up, you crazy woman." Dabi interrupted, glancing at Bakugo's picture with a bored look. "He looks fierce…but just how strong is this kid? What is his quirk?"

"You don't watch TV much, do you?" Shigaraki growled. "The kid's got an [Explosion] quirk and he placed first in the Sports Festival. Besides…" he cast a glance at Shepherd, "He managed to get way from the sludge brat during the USJ incident and prevented me from killing All-Might."

Dabi raised an eyebrow. "This Bakugo kid went toe-to-toe with the battle maniac kid here and saved the number 1 hero?" he asked. "Wow…the hero students of this generation sure are scary~"

"Well, partially it was Shepherd's fault the whole operation went south because he had a mental breakdown back then," the [Decay] user elaborated. "…you remember him, don't you brat?"

"…I…I don't know…I can't remember…!" Shepherd gritted his teeth and forced out.

"Short-term memory? Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Shigaraki shrugged his answer off and continued his briefing. "In any case, we'll discuss the tactics we'll use after I know about all of your quirks. So for now, as of today…

"Including the guys who are not here…" Shigaraki counted. "Dabi, Mr Compress, Twice, Toga, Siren, Moonfish, Magne, Spinner, and…"

"Shepherd."

"It's time to give those peace-addicted fools a wake up call…from their transient peace. You guys are hereby known as…" Shigaraki smirked.

"The Vanguard Action Squad."

.

**=[To be Continued]=**

.

A/N: Leave a comment on what you think! Criticism is welcomed.


	12. Conflicted Feelings, and Training Camps

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay and here's a new chapter! Now on to reviews!

Hold My Beer 1303: Glad you got the reference! Welcome to the story!

CREED6: Don't worry, I'm not going to be dropping this. Thanks for the review!

Raven Mordrake: You just have to wait and see! This will be the start of the camp arc battle!

ErisFootWorshipper: Thanks for the review. The point of Siren was to be Shepherd's last anchor to his remaining humanity...so look forward to their development!

Goatlike: Glad to hear that! Thanks!

Cheese: Someone got it!

DeadUltra: Thanks for the song reference. I think it suited Shepherd as well.

J Nation14: For now, the training camp will be slightly different...with some surprises in stall for our heroes.

King0fPowers: I sure hope so, for now Toga is the only one giving him a headache.

Now, onwards!

.

.

**Chapter 12: Conflicted Feelings, and Training Camps**

.

**=[League of Villain's Hideout. Shepherd's room]=**

Shepherd couldn't bring his mind to rest at night. He stared blankly at the cracks in the ceiling, trying to contain the pain that swept through his body. Though his newly improved [Super Regeneration] was working, he could still feel places where the toxic sludge were slowly, but surely eating away in his body; his poisonous quirk barely being kept in check. The spasms only happened three times a week, but it sure hurt like hell.

Sensei told him that it would take some time for his body to get used to increased power of his [Toxic Sludge], even with the help from [Super Regeneration], so the only solution was to bear the pain. As he did so, his mind kept thinking back to the Hosu incident. If it had not been for Shizune he would have been captured or even died by the hands of the heroes.

He hated to admit it, but he was grateful towards the girl for saving his life. He grounded his teeth silently recalling the events which lead him to his close capture. He had grown careless, fully relying on his [Toxic Sludge] wide range and versatility. No one had managed to defeat it, but that Eraserhead managed to nullify it with his eyes alone. Never in his life had he felt so threatened; he almost wanted to search for that shaggy black-haired ninja and rip his eyes out. Since that time he had been honing his physical abilities and practicing close-combat, pairing up with Shizune was also an insurance to make sure the boy doesn't lose himself and go berserk, using her [Psychosis] to calm him down if necessary.

"Ngh...!"

Shepherd's eyebrow twitched slightly as the sounds of the girl's muffled groans came from the room opposite him. This was common, as far as he could tell. Her dreams had seemed riddled with nightmares far before she joined the League. Just what was she so afraid of? Was it because of his method of killing whenever they were out on missions? If that was the case Shepherd could not fathom why she couldn't just requested to leave the League. She had an opportunity in Hosu so why not take it? Even if she had no where else to go, it would still be better than staying in the League. She had been used her entire life for her quirk, abused and mistreated; something that disgusted him. To be honest, he would have understand if the girl had just left him back in Hosu in order to run away…but she still came back.

Sure he was insistent for her to join the League at first…but after interacting with her and knowing her quiet and gentle nature, he was having second thoughts about her future in the League.

_...Did she really wish to join the League?_

A soft whimper could be heard from the room opposite, re-catching Shepherd's attention. It was no doubt she had been unnerved or even traumatized by the way the boy operates; he could only imagine the gore left in the wake of his carnage, she even saw how he acted when he was mentally unstable. He had always placed her far away to make sure she doesn't see him as he killed those heroes who were out to get him, but he would often catch her watching as though she was worried the boy needed support. _She must see me as some kind of monster...not like I didn't expect that._ She whimpered again. Were her nightmares really bad? This had been going on for weeks now, she should have gotten used to it…

But his thoughts were broken when a banshee-like scream erupted from her room, threatening to break Shepherd's eardrums apart.

.

**=[Dreamscape]=**

_"Hello?"_

_Shizune's voice echoed through the never-ending darkness. Her steps echoed across the dark landscape, and soon the entire scenery switched to one resembling a giant concert hall; her footsteps now making loud noises on the wooden stage._

_"Hello?" This place was giving her bad memories…and she was alone. "Please." Her plead echoed a thousand times. "Is anyone there? Shepherd?"_

_She did not want to be alone again. She was reminded of the times where she hid in the slums and back-alleys of the city to escape arrest. Always hungry…fearful…guilt-ridden…and no one to help her._

_She did not want to be alone again._

_"You should be used to it," A voice cut through the air like a knife of ice. Cold, sharp, precise and hauntingly familiar to the [Psychosis] quirk girl. "After all who would want to be with a demon child? Everyone fears you…you...are a murderer."_

_Shizune spun around, her usual calm expression twitching in fear. She knew this voice. She knew it well. It was the voice of her, the woman whom she had so desperately begged for forgiveness. "Mother?"_

_A tall lady with long purple hair stood up from the audience seat. Her face was sharp, and her teal eyes radiated blistering heat and hatred which stripped Shizune of any hope she had. Those were the same eyes she had shown her daughter the same night Shizune's quirk had gone berserk. The look of someone who has everything taken away from her._

_"You don't deserve to call me that you filth." Her words burned like acid on Shizune's being. Before she could open her mouth, the woman manifested before her on the stage and smacked her across the face. "Did you forget how you took everything away from us? Killing your own father? Your quirk…I detested it! How could our quirks have fused into such an anathema?! For years you have escaped punishment, even though you wished for forgiveness? Going to prison is too good for you…you're better off dying alone in a drain!"_

_"I-!" Her words turned into a gasp for air, her mother's hand pressed against the girl's throat, legs dangling above the ground. She squeezed, her cold eyes addressing Shizune with nothing but coldness and indifference. "Your tough façade won't work, deep down you are just a scared and frightened child. I've been watching you grow all this time, seeing you having nightmares from your sins brings me nothing but joy. You are a demon child; all your quirk does is being misfortune and misery…you will never have a place in this world."_

_Shizune grabbed at her hands with tears in her eyes, everything she said was true. She was nothing more than trash. "I'm sorry," she choked, "I'm so sorry."_

_"I will always be watching you. I will always be a reminder of your atrocities," She hissed. "You don't deserve the happiness you took away from your victims. People will fear you, no one will accept you, no one will love you. Act tough for all you want, but you're nothing more than a-"_

_"SHIZUNE WAKE UP!"_

_._

**=[]=**

"SHIZUNE WAKE UP!" The rough but familiar voice caused the girl's eyes to snap open.

Shizune shot up from the covers, she almost couldn't breathe, she could still feel her mother's hand around her throat. She must have been screaming and using her quirk subconsciously; her throat was sore and there was blood dripping out of the ears of the boy who shook her awake.

"Shizune calm down." Shepherd muttered softly. "Everything is alright. I'm not going to hurt you."

Shizune blinked a few times, trying to piece together what she just experienced. She then lean forward, sobbing. She grabbed onto Shepherd as tightly as she could as if to beg for forgiveness.

Shizune pulled back a little, her eyes fixated on the blood trailing down Shepherd's ears. She sank a little, leaning against Shepherd. "I'm sorry," She said weakly, her voice was so slight that the boy thought he imagined it, then more tears came. "I'm sorry," She said again. "I'm so sorry…!"

Shepherd shook her out of her shock and made her remember to breathe. "Shizune…it's just a dream," he said quietly, pouring a glass of water from her table for her.

Shizune gratefully accepted the drink while Shepherd wiped the blood leaking from his eardrums with a paper towel he took from the toilet, and quickly cleaned up. When he was through, there was hardly any evidence left of what Shizune's quirk has done, but the girl could still feel the disgusting soreness in her throat.

For a moment they were consumed by their own thoughts of this situation, the boy stepping away to give her some space to breathe.

She was the first the speak. "I'm sorry…it's the same nightmare I had all these years. When that happens…I-I ended up using my quirk."

"…It wasn't hard to tell." Shepherd replied dryly, "...My room is just opposite yours…sorry about breaking down your door. It was necessary."

"I should be the one saying sorry…you got hurt because of me," She looked dazedly at her hands. A wave of nausea hit her when she was reminded of how she could kill someone in her sleep.

"I need more water…"

She forced herself out of the bed and was about to pour herself a cup when Shepherd stopped her, his expression strained. He forced Shizune to rest while he poured her another drink. "…This isn't your fault…why are you apologizing?"

"Your ears…you got hurt because of me," she said. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Your quirk won't kill me; whatever's broken can be regenerated back…for me at least." Shepherd reminded her. "…I'd told you this before, haven't I? Your quirk can't kill me."

"How...how could you possibly say something like that...?"

The girl then remained silent as she sat beside Shepherd, rubbing her throat due to the backlash of using her [Psychosis] vocal quirk. Why this caused him to feel bothered, he couldn't reason. It was then he noticed the black and blue markings down her neck, a wound had she had been inflicted back when Shepherd first met her. That was something he had done, and he hadn't thought much about it. But now he felt…what? Guilt? He'd hurt her after all, so she had the right to hurt him back, so why was she being so concern about his well-being?

Shepherd thought she'd never wanted to go near him or even touch him after how he showed her his berserk side back in Hosu. A part of him was suspicious that like all the others, she was just acting to get on his good side, like everyone else who feared him.

_Well...not like it matters much..._

"I'm sorry to keep bothering you like this, Shepherd." Shizune said suddenly, getting the boy to look at her while she gently caressed her wounds, making the boy slightly angry from the way she keeps apologizing.

_Why does she keep saying sorry?_

_Wait...she wasn't having nightmares due from all the time she'd seen me kill heroes, was she?!_

"...it's my fault isn't it," Shepherd finally said sadly. "It must be agonizing to see me kill, even though you hate to hurt others."

The girl grew slightly confused by what he said, but an aghast expression quickly replaced it. "Wh-what? No, of course not!" she shook her head in horror, "This has nothing to do with you. You're like this because the League forced you to. This isn't you-!"

"...in any case, you have to get some rest." The white-haired boy said softly. "After all, we have a big operation coming soon ."

.

**=[]=**

The [Psychosis] user had taken to sticking with him throughout her stay in the League, asking occasionally if the [Toxic Sludge] user needed anything from her. Her presence wasn't annoying like the noisy bunch of the League's newer members. He usually declined when she offered, letting her help him only during his unpredictable pain spasms, but he was still appreciative of her concern.

She had been incredibly helpful today; his body had been shivering uncontrollably the entire day, his breathing ragged from overexertion of his quirk and physical abilities. Using [Toxic Sludge] seemed to be taking its toll when utilized nowadays and his regeneration seemed to be getting slower and slower as opposed to his [Toxic Sludge]'s increased power.

_That crazy doctor Daruma...! Didn't he fixed me up? That quack of a mad scientist...!_

Shizune gazed at Shepherd with quiet concern; staying by his side quietly as he rested for the day. No matter what he said to tell her he's alright, the girl stubbornly stuck by his side like she feared he was going to collapse any moment.

Teal eyes with an icy-blue highlight met his purple ones, making his heart skip a beat. The first time their eyes had met before she joined the League, hers had been full of fear. Now she sat and talked to him without reservation towards him.

After all this while, this was the first time Shepherd felt genuine concern…was it really the case? To Shepherd, everyone viewed him as a monster and for someone to show concern for someone who could regenerate wounds like him, Shizune's behaviour was puzzling him. Could she truly be genuine? Shouldn't she be holding a grudge for nearly killing her back then when they first met? Perhaps this was a trick to get on his good side, to avoid getting killed in the League, but these kinds of deceptions could be seen through eventually. Heroes…villains…even those in the League, they have avoided eye-contact with him, shifting nervously when he entered the room or speaking in a falsely polite tone (Except for Toga, she's just crazy over him for some reason). But Shizune did not falter once, her eyes always seemed so concerned.

She shifted ever so slightly, approaching him like how one treats an injured beast. He eyed her sudden movements carefully, even though both of them knew full well that neither her [Psychosis] quirk nor physical strength is powerful enough to hurt Shepherd. He could feel his [Toxic Sludge] at the ready. He could kill her; one simple lash of his sludge and her head would roll.

"Shepherd…is there really nothing more then following 'Sensei'? Do you not wish to know how you came to the League?" Those same words from Hosu, the same caring look in her eyes. Why did she care so much? Why does she keep probing something so pointless? It was then he noticed the multiple wounds on her body; more than the ones he inflicted upon her, years of mistreatment before he even met her. He remembered her touch, her gentle voice comforting him in his crazed moments, that promised him no harm. He reluctantly nodded his head, letting her pull back the white hair to examine his purple eyes, as though she wanted to search for something deep within him. Why did it stir something within him? What were these feelings? This warmth…seemed familiar…but he couldn't find the words to describe it.

Shizune reached for her flute, her instrument slowly moving to her lips which caused him to startle and grab her wrist with slight agitation in his eyes. "…What are you trying to do?" Shepherd's voice regained an icy edge as he glared at her, but she didn't waiver from it. She inched forward and looked him carefully in the eye. "Please…let me help you."

"My quirk [Psychosis] allows my vocal chords to produce ultrasonic waves to stimulate the human brain; it can cause hallucinations, pain…but I think it can help recover lost memories." Shepherd's head throbbed as he recalled the effects of Shizune's quirk. "I've been training with my flute…it may be possible to mend mental damage instead of causing it. If I can play my flute…maybe you can remember something. Is that okay?" She was asking his permission to activate her quirk. She knew that Shepherd was sensitive to attacks, and if she wasn't careful he would take her offer as a direct attack on himself, which he would.

_...no way._

"…No." It was simple and direct. He wouldn't allow her to use her quirk; he wouldn't hesitate to hurt her again if she was planning to mess around with his head, even if it's her. She paused, staring at him, thinking, possibly about her next move. She lowered her flute and kneeled beside her bed, clearly putting some distance between them.

"Don't you feel that something is wrong? The way that 'Sensei' treats you like an obedient dog? I've heard him speak to you…and…" She shuddered a little. "He doesn't love you Shepherd…this is wrong…that's not love-!"

**"ENOUGH!"** That roar silenced her, making her lips quiver as she stared determinedly at a slightly hyperventilating Shepherd…those teal eyes…so unafraid…unlike everyone else the boy had encountered before. "Sorry…I didn't mean to upset you. I just-nevermind...let's call it a day. You've done enough."

"…just need to...get some rest." Shepherd muttered tiredly as he forced himself onto the bed. Shizune backed away to her own room, clearly fatigued.

"Sorry for shouting at you," The words came out of Shepherd's mouth before he had time to retract it. He felt really angry for the girl to speak bad about Sensei…but seeing her like this caused his heart to twinge; snapping at her like that after putting up with him really felt bad. "I'll get some ice-cream for you tomorrow. Please…don't take it to heart."

"I wouldn't even if I could," Shizune muttered just loud enough for the both of them to hear as she held the boy's hand in both palms. Shepherd wasn't too keen about close contact all this time with her, so she's making use of this chance since he feels apologetic. "Please believe me Shepherd. I just wish to help you wherever I can. No matter what happens…I'll always be there for you."

Shizune repeated her words again like a prayer, but she's sure Shepherd heard her the first time. It was a selfish thought…but he was like her; a broken soul, and they only had each other to confide in. It was a slow, harsh and agonizing experience…but it was worth it.

.

Unbeknownst to them, a shadow lurked outside the room...before it sneaked away without anyone noticing.

.

**=[League of Villains Hideout. 1 Day before the Camp Assault Plan]=**

"…attacking students. What a waste of time." Shepherd groaned as he reclined against the wall, hearing the chatter of the League's newest members rising down in Kurogiri's bar. He was currently resting in his quarters one floor above the misty barkeep's room. "But Sensei said that this operation is important…so I have to do it I guess. Shigaraki can make his plans with the others for all he wants, but as long as they don't get in my way, I'm good."

He muttered to himself as he skimmed through the list of students and Pro-heroes going to be present in the UA training camp. According to Kurogiri, Sensei also wished for the boy to abduct certain 'individuals' with quirks that caught his eye, to be brought back to the hideout for Sensei to possess their quirks.

Despite Shepherd's hatred and clashing views with how Tomura keeps targeting weaklings for his plans, the [Toxic Sludge] user still took his duty seriously as a League member, as Sensei held great expectations for him. He did not want to disappoint his savior. Besides, this was going to be Shizune's first big mission debut, and since Sensei placed him in charge of handling her, he was going to do his best to ensure everything goes smoothly for the girl. He'd deserved to die if he did not perform those duties properly.

"You're already dead…the way you are now, you're nothing more than a puppet."

Shepherd growled at the weak, scrawny child in front of him. "…Shut up," he spat. "A weakling like you doesn't deserve to speak…I thought I destroyed you back then."

The rust-haired child growled fiercely in return, his tiny fist clenched tightly. "I'm a part of you. You can't get rid of me. As long as I'm here…I will keep telling you that this is all wrong! Didn't Shizune also said it? That 'Sensei' doesn't see you as his child! He's just wanting to USE you! He abuses you so that you won't go against him! Why can't you see that?!"

"I said shut up!" Shepherd shouted back. "You don't know anything! I am strong thanks to Sensei! He saved me! Nothing else matters!"

"Do you even know what he and that crazy doctor did to you? To US?!" he shouted back.

"He didn't do anything to me…"

"You have to remember! Take Shizune's advice!" the rust-haired child shouted desperately, like he was losing his lifeline. "You have to realize that there's something wrong with what you're doing!"

"…this is pointless," Shepherd snorted, closing his eyes. "Just get out of my head already…"

"I won't. Midoriya and the others already know who you are! Even if I don't have the power to do so, everyone will make you wake up to the truth! I will make sure you know who you really are, whether you liked it or not!"

"Stop spewing names I don't know…whoever gets in my way is the enemy…they must die…!"

"YOU ARE NOT A VILLAIN! YOU DON'T KILL!"

…?!

"We can still fix this! We can still turn all of this around!" The imitation was pleading with him, his screams trying to get through Shepherd's thick skull. "But you have to know who are you real enemies! What they did to you! What they did to turn you into an obedient dog! Do you even remember how this happened to us in the first place?!"

"No I don't…I don't want to remember any of that rubbish you pathetic crybaby!" Shepherd snarled angrily. He wanted this annoying mirage in his head to go away! Who was he to say such falsehood?!

"Just listen to me! Let me take over-!"

"Shut up…!" he roared, his purple eyes flashing with agony. "Shut up Shut up SHUT UP!"

…

…

…

"Oh Shepherd-kun~! It's not nice to tell a girl to shut up~"

Shepherd blinked, his imitation vanishing in a mere instant. In his place was a girl with dirty-blonde hair tied into messy twin buns, and she wore a school uniform with several bloodstains on the sleeves. She had a smirk on her lips as she stood before the boy.

"You're…" he stared warily at the girl, who gave a large grin that showed her canines. "Toga Himiko-!" But before he could finish, she dashed forward. Swearing internally, Shepherd willed his toxic sludge within his body and braced for another one of this crazy girl's sudden attacks, but instead of lunging with one of her knives, the blonde-haired villain wrapped her arms around him and squealed with glee.

"Oh Shepherd-kun~! I'm so happy you remembered my name!"

"Get away from me," He finally managed to push her off, eyeing her movement carefully. Her golden eyes glowed in the dim room like a cat, giving off the same mad light he witnessed when she came into the League. "This is my room. Hadn't you heard about knocking before entering?"

"I heard your voice, and Shigaraki was nice enough to tell me where your room was," she purred, her cheeks going pink. "Though there's no one here? Who are you talking to I'm wondering? Or are you just crazy? I juuust love to know more about you~" Without warning, she lunged forward and made the stunned boy fall to the ground with surprising strength, whipping out a butterfly knife and held it above his neck.

"First and foremost, I don't want to hear that from a crazy bitch like you," Shepherd replied back, trying to shove off the deranged girl without hurting her so much, but she stubbornly stuck to him much to the boy's chagrin. "And second, don't make me hurt you." He warned in a low growl.

"Oh if it's you, I wouldn't mind. After all…" she whispered in a sickly-sweet voice. "…You're the reason why I joined the League~" This crazy girl was here because of him?! For a moment Shepherd felt like he just shot himself in the foot, but he knew this obsessive youth wouldn't get off him unless her requirements were fulfilled. Hurting an official member of the League would not yield positive results.

"Don't you want to know why I joined the League~?"

"…I don't really care."

"Oh you'll love to know, wouldn't you? We are quite similar after all," She giggled as she just went on, tracing her knife across his scowling face. "I want a world where someone like me can have a easily life; a life where I can freely love whoever and whomever I wish~! When I saw how crazy you were during your fight in Hosu…how bloodied you were…how you bled when you'd fought…I just knew that I'm fated to meet you~" She stabbed her knife into his arm, running her hand on the open wound and shudder in delight as her hand was soaked red. "I really love how you _bleed_, Shepherd-kun. I absolutely adore you…because we are _alike_~" she whispered the last few syllables in his ear, her breathe hot on his neck. "We're born killers~!"

Her actions have crossed Shepherd's threshold, and this caused the boy to give an angry grunt, pushing her off him in one swift motion, sending her tumbling to the floor.

"…don't push it," Shepherd breathed, his livid expression unflinching as blood flowed down his hand. "try something like that again on me and that grinning face will be separated from your neck…!" He then realized that Toga wasn't listening at all; the girl was watching the crimson liquid flow down with an awestruck expression, especially when the wound she inflicted started mending itself.

"I can't wait to see how your blood tastes like shepherd-kun! I'm just _dying_ to know~" Toga squealed, pulling out a vial and capturing some of his blood before he could even react. "I'm wondering how much I can draw out from you~?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but it closed when he heard someone calling from the stairs.

"Shepherd? I heard something crash…are you alright?" It was Shizune's voice, for sure. Toga heard her as well, and loosened her grip on him.

"Aww…I wanted more time to play~!" she pouted, pocketing the vial and giving Shepherd one last playful smile. "But Shizu-chan looks fun as well~I wonder how she'll look when she bleeds? Ah-that's one scary look you have~!" She quickly skipped out of the boy's room before the boy snapped. "That was just the introduction. I'll love to know everything about you, _inside and out_, Shepherd-kun~"

"...she's really crazy." was all he muttered as he glared at his new teammate.

.

**=[]=**

.

**=[Nagano Prefecture. Beast's Forest]=**

"I do not like this…this is _so_ not cute." Toga whined as she wore her gear.

Shizune did not particular like Toga, due to the fact that she is far more eccentric than most of the other League members she could communicate with…not to mention her obvious fetish for blood, which made the [Psychosis] quirk user all the more wary.

But she had to deal with it with they ever hoped to achieve the highest success probability tonight. The plan, which was formulated by Shigaraki and Kurogiri, was simple: to strike fear into the hearts of the heroes and the society that worshiped them, by attacking the students and kidnap one of UA's top students, Bakugo Katsuki. By taking him during a training camp run by U.A and their Pro-heroes, it would show that even the most prestigious hero school of Japan could not keep its students safe.

The initial phase of the plan was a series of attacks to spread pandemonium and confusion…while Dabi and a few others will carry out the assigned kidnapping before the students and teachers could properly fight back, and so that's where Shizune came in: in the dense forest and deep cover of the night where class 1-A and 1-B were training in was a perfect place for her to unleash her [Psychosis] quirk music. With the instrumental amplifier that was provided for her by an underground designer, she was to let loose her hallucination-inducing music and distract as many heroes as possible.

The only problem was: due to her quirk being indiscriminate and affecting everyone in the vicinity, she was to operate alone. With the exception of Shepherd, there was no one who would aid her.

Having trained in the League for quite some time alongside Shepherd, her ability to confuse the enemies' senses through her music has evolved to being able to induce mild hallucinations into anyone in range of her flute, making her the perfect villain to inflict mental confusion and pandemonium in a wide area.

Her sole job was to spread havoc amongst the students with her music…and retreat to the agreed meeting point once the student target has been captured, and Kurogiri will warp them back to the hideout. So for now…she just had to put up with Toga until the rest of the team arrives.

"Our support items were engineered from the black market…what we should be counting on is their effectiveness, not how they look."

Her words silenced Toga for a while, and while she stopped whining about her gear, she gave a crazed smile as her attention was brought to Shizune. "Oh come on~! All I'm saying is that it wouldn't hurt for them to make more stylish equipment. Is that too much to ask?"

"Don't you find it such a waste if your costume doesn't look stylish~?"

"Not really." Shizune shot Toga a cold glare which only served to excite the [Transform] blonde girl even more. "Shape up, the others are here."

Soon after the others started milling from the ledge from which Shizune and Toga were watching the training camp below, their presence hidden in plain sight thanks to the darkening sky. The first newcomer was someone by the name of Magne, a newer recruit whom Shizune had known briefly from the files, a murderer and serial offender with a quirk related to magnetism. According to the files, she could polarize anyone near her based on their genders, while using the giant magnet she carried around as a weapon to attract and repel her foes.

"Hello darlings~ Sorry I'm late to the party."

Right behind Magne came Moonfish, a convicted serial killer and cannibal whom Kurogiri had warned her about, freed by the [Warp Gate] user himself to assist in this operation. While insane, he did appear to be dedicated to his job, muttering 'Get to work' like a crazed prayer. He possessed a tooth-quirk which allowed him to extend, manipulate and fight with his teeth alone. But since she would be working separately from the rest, Shizune did not have to worry about him.

Finally Dabi, along with a lizard-faced youth in a hero-killer Stain-inspired costume called Spinner came as well with Shepherd bringing the rear, nearly completing their little group for the night.

"That makes seven of us," Dabi counted, only for Toga to pout.

"Even more waiting~? Can't we just go down and start first?"

"Twice and Mr Compress still aren't ready," Shepherd growled at his blood-crazed comrade. "And we have a specially made Noumu created for Dabi to use. The plan will commerce once we have everyone in place; until then, we are to re-brief ourselves about the plan of attack."

"Who cares about that?" Spinner groaned. "I am here by the will of Stain, and I will do what I came here to do; to teach them the meaning of a true hero!"

"...Be quiet for a moment. There are certain individuals who have quirks that can locate and effectively neutralize our quirks." Shepherd spoke, shutting up everyone. "Two of them. If we don't get rid of them first, there is a high chance the plan will go haywire. If we do things in order...the heroes won't know what hit them."

"...you have a point," Dabi smirk at that. "So, how should we proceed?"

"The Pro-heroes Eraserhead, his [Erasure] is a pain in the ass...and Ragdoll of the Pussycats has a quirk called [Search], which allows her to locate anyone within a certain range, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Dabi, you are to go with Twice and attempt to kill off the Erasure-hero. Ragdoll is mine."

"Eraserhead huh..." The [Cremation] teen muttered before his lips curled in anticipation, "I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to kill the Erasure-hero, but I'll try."

"...Do what you can." Shepherd nodded. "In any case, while Siren here provides the distraction, each and every one of us are to quickly locate and secure the primary target. Keep your ear-communicators in place, we'll get out of here once we completed our objective."

"Wait just a minute!" Magne interjected. "What about the priority student list Shigaraki gave us? Isn't our objective to assault them and kill off whomever Shigaraki listed as dangerous? Let us have our share of the fun~!"

"...There is no merit for me to fight weaklings," Shepherd answered Magne with an angry spat, making the latter shudder. "Of course, you are free to assault whomever you wish, but our main objective is the capture of Bakugo Katsuki. If anyone is going to stand in my way of doing so, they will be eradicated without question, even if it's _you guys_."

At this point, most of the villains shared a common shudder as they witnessed a glimpse of the true brutality of the League's Hellhound. They were just glad they were standing on the same side as him...otherwise they might have been his prey.

"Alright then. I'll inform everyone when I meet up with Twice at my position. Give me the signal to start when you're all ready." Dabi announced as everyone left for their respective positions. It was only just Shepherd and Siren left.

"...I need to get in position as well. See you later, Shepherd." Shizune told him as she prepared to walk off.

Shizune held on to her newly-modified flute and steeled herself: this was her first big mission as a member of the League, and her job was to wreak havoc among the students and Pro-heroes all by herself. But as long as she could hold off most of the heroes and draw attention to herself, Shepherd and the others would have a higher chance of completing the most important objective: capture Bakugo Katsuki.

As long as Shepherd could accomplish that, she resolved herself to do whatever it takes to distract the heroes.

No more running...the enemy would attack her as a villain. If she wanted to stay in the League with Shepherd, she had to use her quirk...even if her hands had to be stained with the blood of others.

"Don't worry...if anything goes wrong, use the ear-communicator to talk to me. I'll rush over in an instant."

She caught Shepherd's gaze; the demonic-dog masked boy giving her a silent nod of encouragement which immediately calmed her nerves.

_'That's right...I have to be strong...nothing else matters...'_ Remembering how she was mistreated in the past, Shizune slowly directed her silent fury to the students below.

.

**=[Training Camp Forest. Test of Courage Trail]=**

The Training Camp has progressed to the middle stages with training as brutal as ever, pushing the students to their limits and trying to go plus ultra. Tonight, the trainers had something specially planned for them…the Test of Courage.

One class would head into the forest, setting up tricks and traps or whatever foul tactics they could think of to try to scare the opposing teams from the other class to the point of, as Tiger quoted, 'Piss their pants'. Though, their real objective was to retrieve a tag from the center section of the forest trail, where Ragdoll, the [Search] quirk user of the Pussycats was waiting.

"Thanks for making the switch Ojirou-san," Yaoyorozu said as she walked behind the [Tail] quirk user of her class, the pair making their way through the darkness of the forest. "Mineta-san was really giving me a bad feeling…"

"No problem vice class prez," Ojirou chuckled in response, squinting his eyes to find his way through the dark cover of the night. "It's really dark…I don't suppose you can make a flashlight to make this easier?"

"**Psycho Flute: Grand Fortissimo, Hysterical Performance**!"

"To be honest, I feel that doing that will defeat the purpose of the activity…" She admitted, stopping as she heard something coming from the back of the foliage, the rustling of leaves blanketing the weird but enchanting sound. "Wait. Did you hear something? It sounded like…a flute?"

Ojirou turned towards the source of the sound, taking a step back as a lanky green-haired figure with pincer-like extensions on his face stumbled into the clearing. It was Togaru Kamikiri, the [Razor Sharp] user from class B. "Um…using background music is creative and all, but isn't coming out so brazenly going to ruin the scare?" Ojirou noted. But the mantis-like student just trudged forward like a zombie, while soft music played behind the student.

Sharp blades protrude out of Kamakiri's body. "H-Hey…isn't this a little too much for a test of courage-WOAH!" Ojirou was in complete bafflement from their fellow schoolmate's sign of aggression, only to jump back in fright when a sharp edge sliced the space where he once stood. "Damn it class B! Did that Monoma tell you to do this?! Isn't this too much?!"

**"Villains…where did take my classmates?!"** said Kamakiri but his voice bared rage and hatred to the two standing before him. **"You guys suddenly appeared where they once stood…WHERE ARE THEY?! ANSWER ME!"** His eyes were bloodshot, and they had a demonic purplish glow to them.

"What's wrong with you?!" Ojirou shouted, sidestepping Kamakiri to dodge a lethal blade jutting from his elbow. "Villains?! Is this supposed to be a scare?!" while he dodged, Yaoyorozu had gotten over her initial shock and started analysing the class B student's abnormal behavior.

Juggling his attention between the [Creation] and [Tail] quirk users, Kamakiri gnashed his teeth furiously and brandished two sword-like blades from his palms. **"Screw the rules…! You people did something to Shishida and Setsuna! You guys popped out of nowhere and took them! If you're going to remain silent then I'm gonna shred you!"**

Yaoyorozu had enough. She manifested a weighted net from her arm and threw it over Kamakiri with a swing. "I don't understand a thing you're talking about, but it's clear that you are under some delusion!" she shouted as the resilient alloy net proved to be troublesome for the [Razor Sharp] user to just slice apart. "We have to take him back to the teachers," she told Ojirou. "There is something wrong with him-!"

"YAOYOROZU LOOK OUT!" Ojirou dived and pulled her to the ground as several black objects rushed towards them, before reforming into a girl with dark-green hair. It was Tokage Setsuna, the [Lizard Tail Split] quirk user of class B.

"Tokage-san?!" Yaoyorozu recognized her from the sports festival. When she raised her head, Momo was horrified to see the same bloodshot and purplish-glowing eyes Kamakiri had. "What happened to you?"

**"Give me back Shishida and Kamakiri you damn villains!"** Setsuna snarled as she detached several of her body parts, not caring about the stunned and horrified expressions of her fellow UA peers. **"Just how many of you are there?! What have you done to my classmates?!"**

"STAY DOWN!" To add more into the confusion, a large figure jumped from behind and brought Setsuna to the ground with its beasty arms; the girl instantly knocked out under Shishida Jurota's immerse [Beast] quirk enhancement.

Shishida of class B gave a grunt as he released his hold on his classmate. "Class A! You have to hold Kamakiri down!" He shouted as the mantis-like hero student cut loose from Yaoyorozu's net and charged at the group. Ojirou immediately lunged forward and slammed down his heavy tail, making the [Razor Sharp] user finally stay down and groaned incoherently.

"Shishida! What's going on?!" Yaoyorozu demanded. "Why are your classmates attacking us?"

"I don't know…!" Shishida gazed at his fallen classmates in dismay and bristled in fury. "There was this weird music that we heard while waiting for you guys…and then both Kamakiri and Setsuna started attacking one another! No matter what I do, they all seemed to see everyone as enemies and attack indiscriminately. This is definitely a villain's doing I tell you!"

"Music?" Yaoyorozu repeated, and as though to answer her question, another enchanting melody reverberated through the air and caused their eardrums to throb in pain. "This..this is the music!" Shishida grimaced. "There's something weird about it; it's making everyone go nuts!"

"Th-this is-!" the [Creation] girl gasped. "…a villain attack!"

.

**=[]=**

"How…" Mineta muttered, eyes shaking with fear, "We took every precaution…W-We hid our location…So why?! Why are the villains here?!"

There were two of them standing before the group of heroes and students; A tall casually-dressed man with long hair, thick lips and sunglasses while the other guy was shorter, wearing an outfit resembling the Hero Killer Stain and his face had features of a green-skinned lizard with purple hair gelled straight up. The taller of the two stood over Pixie-bob, who had laid still under a giant magnet Magne was carrying with her, a bit of blood running down a gash from the female hero'es forehead.

"Greetings UA students!" The lizard-faced villain spoke, his loud voice cutting through the cold night air, "We are the League of Villains, the Vanguard Action Squad!"

"What are the League doing here?! How did they find this place?" Midoriya demanded, watching the two new villains warily.

"Ah ah ah~ careful now dears," Magne wagged her finger at the heroes in a disapproving motion as she pushed her giant magnet block onto Pixie-bob's head when the heroes took a few steps forward. "It would be a shame if I were to suddenly slip and crush her head now, wouldn't it?"

"Like I'd let you…!" Tiger growled at that threat.

"Whoa hold your horses, big sis Magne!" The lizard villain urged, holding out both of his arms like an umpire, "And you too Tiger, chill out!" A feral grin spread across his scaly lips. "The right of life and death will be decided by the word of Stain…"

"Stain?!" Iida repeated, "So you're the ones who had taken up his warped ideals?!"

"That's right! You, four-eyes…" The scaly-skinned villain pointed a finger at the [Engine] quirk user. "You're one of those who ended Stain's reign in Hosu City, correct?" He asked, making Iida looked towards Midoriya as the villain continued. "I haven't introduced myself, the name's Spinner," One hand reached out for the wrapped bundle behind him, "AND I'M THE ONE WHO SHALL CARRY ON STAIN'S LEGACY!" The wrappings came undone and revealed Spinner's haphazardly-constructed weapon; a mass of knifes, swords and blades tied into a giant multi-bladed weapon.

"Tch, tell that to someone who gives a shit, villain!" Tiger barked in response. "That girl beneath your feet…Pixie-bob has been manic about getting married and experiencing a woman's happiness, to fulfil that dream she has always been putting her best foot forward…" he growled and his fingers twitched menacingly. "So as a man your boorish attitude and blatant disregard…for scarring the face of a woman in that predicament is reprehensible!"

Spinner's eyes flashed with a vicious light as he readied for combat. "A true hero cannot ask for such luxuries!"

.

**=[]=**

Everyone in the cabin went rigid as the sound of Mandalay's urgent tone invaded their thoughts, her words making their skin crawl.

"Two villains have invaded this area! It's possible that there are many more hiding in the forest! Those who are able to, go back to camp! If you come across any enemies, do not engage! I repeat, do not engage! Continue your retreat!"

"Huh?!"

"How are the villains here?!"

Aizawa was already moving to the door, every part of him on high alert and full of dreadful anticipation.

"Vlad! Stay here and keep an eye on everyone, I'm going to help the students still out in the woods! Protect them!" Aizawa ordered sharply, as he sped down the hallway, as his hand snapped on one end of his scarf as he ran.

"They weren't supposed to find this place! How did they-!"

His steps halted as he burst through the front doors, the smell of smoke and burnt wood hitting his nose as he saw the thick column of smoke rising from the forest.

"Tch…this is bad…!" he hissed under his breath.

"Your worrying has made you sloppy. Bad move…Eraserhead."

Those words made Aizawa's heart pummel, his vision snapping to the side where that ominous voice came from – his quirk ready to cancel out whatever Quirk was heading his way.

"Shi-!"

A torrent of brilliant, azure flames engulfed the area, and in the middle of it, Dabi's bored expression turned a tad menacing while the blue inferno illuminated the cabin with its hungry flames.

"You and your Pro-hero friend need to stay out of our way…You're not what we're here for."

.

**=[]=**

"Everyone else besides Tiger and me, GO! Run back to the camp and meet up with Eraserhead and Vlad King! Combat is to be avoided at all cost do you understand?" Mandalay ordered swiftly, "Class rep take the lead!"

"Of course! Everyone let's move!"

However, when Mandalay's telepathic message for retreat went around everyone, Midoriya's heart dropped as his thoughts went to one thing – Kouta.

"-Midoriya! We have to retreat!" Iida snapped, but Izuku shocked everyone by running towards a different direction.

"…Go on without me guys!" He called back as he raced off towards the woods. "Mandalay! I know where Kouta is! I have to get him back!"

"Midoriya WAIT!" The [Engine] quirk user cried out, but his words were ignored as Midoriya ran off.

Mandalay gritted her teeth at the many problems they were facing, but one in particular caused her heart to sink.

"Tiger, something's weird! I can't contact Ragdoll!" Mandalay spoke with alarm, her fingers fiddling with her cat ear-like headphones. "It's not like her to not pick up my messages! She's not answering at all!"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Magne smiled. "That Shepherd-boy sure works fast…"

.

**=[]=**

"Rag…*btzzz*..oll do you copy? *btzzzzzz* Ragdoll can you hear me? Wha-*btzzz* happened Ragdoll?!" Broken pieces of the cat ear-shaped headphone lay battered and broken.

"Man…da…lay…" Tomoko Shiretoko, aka Ragdoll of the Pussycats gasped out weakly. "Don't…come…here…!" She futilely wheezed out as her body was unable to move, pain coursing through her while black poisonous wounds blighted her body.

"…Ragdoll of the Pussycats. Quirk [Search]. You have a quirk which allows you to monitor and observe up to 100 people in the vicinity, including their location, strengths and weaknesses." Shepherd said, giving the barely conscious Ragdoll a condescending gaze. "Rather weak…but annoying…which could lower the success of this operation." The woman could hardly tell what the boy was feeling behind his demonic mask, but she could have sworn he was appraising her like how a predator chooses its prey for the taking.

"And it's my job tonight to get rid of all annoying factors."

This boy had suddenly appeared before her; a spiky white-haired boy with a long furred black jacket, a steely expression and black sludge flowing from his arms. Ragdoll gasped and placed a hand on her communicator, even though she knew there was no point calling for help against this boy. "Y-You're him…" she whispered. "The villain from Hosu…Shephe-!"

It all happened in a second. The toxic sludge lashed forward and destroyed the headset of the Pussycat hero, before the sludge tendril grabbed her and tossed her to the grass like a ragdoll. Blood trailed down from a nasty cut. A faint sound escaped her lips, somewhere between a whimper and a desperate cry for help.

"…It would be troublesome if you were to inform the others about our location," The boy with the black mask resembling a canine's jaw, Shepherd, grabbed Ragdoll's wrecked body by the back of her collar, and dragged her deeper into the forest. Ragdoll tried to reach for the phone hidden in her pocket, but the sludge on Shepherd's arm morphed into a whip and lashed out, flinging Ragdoll into a tree. She hit the trunk; the force of the throw knocked the air out of her lungs as the sludge tendril caught her shoulder, and they quickly pierced her bare skin. She screamed in pain from his strange, poisonous quirk.

He held Ragdoll there, waiting for the woman's screams to diminish into a soft whimper. "…be quiet. I have no intention of fighting those who won't fight back. I'll just have you stay out of this until this is over, and bring you back to Sensei." Ragdoll didn't answer, the pain from the toxins had caused her to faint. Shepherd eased up and released her from his quirk, dropping her to the ground.

"Shizune and the others are working hard...so I guess it's time for me to begin my search."

"Now then…" Shepherd's eyes wandered to the tall cliff-side which towered over the dense forest quite a distance away. Though he was in charge of removing 'annoying' obstacles out of the way, it was also his job to oversee and operation and help any League member if he deemed it necessary. The tall rocky landform overseeing the entire forest would be a good vantage point.

"Shall we begin?"

.

**=[To be Continued]=**

A/N: What do you think? Reviews are appreciated! Will Shepherd meet Midoriya once more? How will Shizune fare in Mustard's role in the story?


	13. The Successor, and the Rabid Beast

Hello everyone, I'm back with another chapter! I was worried I had not done enough character development for my two OCs, but I just can't wait to show what they can do in the Forest Camp Arc!

On to reviews:

Donovan2771: Shepherd will have quite a number of fights, so you'll have to wait and see!

Raven Mordrake: I've never thought that far...so let's see how their progress goes!

J Nation14: You'll just have to wait and see!

GoatLike: Thanks for the review!

supremeloligod: Thanks for the comment and continue watching Shepherd's progress!

King0fP0wers: Shizune won't be falling that easily, now that her quirk has evolved. As for why All for One wouldn't give Shepeherd more healing quirks...let's just say the toxicity level in Shepherd's body is too much for any healing quirk to handle. I also feel that All for One is a sadist who feels that the pain will constantly force Shepherd to keep fighting.

phelipebr: Thanks for the review! You just have to read to find out!

Now onwards!

**Chapter 13: The Successor, and the Rabid Beast.**

.

**=[League of Villains Hideout]=**

The bar was dark and quiet. Kurogiri stood before the glowing television, eyes glued to the flickering screen. He could barely make out the dark silhouette of All for One on the other side of the video chat, but it was of little concern to the [Warp Gate] user. The only important thing was reporting the state of the operation, every single detail.

"How is the operation faring?" All for One asked.

"It is going smoothly, for now." Kurogiri responded. "Shepherd had just sent me the body of Ragdoll from the Pussycats, and I have transferred her to your location. As of now, the heroes have caught wind of our attack and are currently fighting back. Unfortunately, the priority target, Bakugo Katsuki, has not been found yet."

"It's not a concern, and I'm sure Tomura is aware of this as well." All for One dismissed. "It doesn't really matter if his strike team fails or succeeds; their attack on the training camp right after the USJ incident is already a blow to the heroes. The only question now is: how much damage can they cause tonight?"

"You have taken their failure into consideration? It is truly a shame if they were caught, we finally have some powerful member after all this time."

"Hardly," All for One chuckled. "Shepherd is there, so I'm confident he would execute his task in the most efficient and quickest way possible. Given his attitude, he won't be bothered by mere students and a few Pro-heroes."

"I see."

Kurogiri was silent for a while, until All for One spoke. "Make sure to keep an eye out for Tomura. He's never led a team like this before, and it will undoubtedly mature his thinking of handling future operations. As for Shepherd…"

"The boy is strong," Kurogiri answered. "He follows every order faithfully…but the only thing which worries me is his mental state. If there is someone who can beat him, Shepherd will go berserk."

"That is fine." A joyful tone hid the true malice behind those words as Kurogiri listened carefully. All for One went on. "His former self was a weak and scared boy who was forced to his death by those superior to him. He is always fearful of anyone stronger than him, and that is why he actively seeks to destroy those stronger than him, and by the time he's done…not even All-Might can stop him."

"I can imagine," Kurogiri remained quiet for another moment before speaking again. "I'm sure you must be proud of him."

"Oh, he is." All for One said. "After all, he reminds me of what I could not accomplish with my dear brother..."

.

**=[Training Camp Forest. Kota's Hideout]=**

Kota was shaking in fright as he stared at the massive column of smoke rolling over the forest from where he was watching. He could hear Mandalay calling for him with her [Telepathy], but her quirk wasn't the kind where she could hear responses. All she could do was hope Kota could hear her message .

_"Kota you heard that right?! Please, get back to the lodge! The villains are keeping us busy to try to find you, so please run back to the lodge! Kota you have to run back!"_

He made a run for the woods, but was stopped dead in his tracks with a shocked cry. Blocking his path with a slightly bewildered expression was a boy of average height, his snow-white hair contrasting his black coat with a white-furred collar; gleaming purple eyes gazing down at Kota. The scariest thing was his black iron mask resembling the jaw of a dog.

The child of the Water Hoses fought back a scream as every single part of this boy seemed to scream 'DANGER!'; rabid malice exploded soundlessly from his body.

"…A kid? I don't recall you being in the man-child's kill list." Shepherd muttered as he stared the small child down. "Well…not that it matters…you're definitely not _him_."

But Kota was too shocked to say anything, spinning around to try fleeing from the opposite direction, but Shepherd sighed and willed his sludge to life. The black toxic fluid snaked along the rockface of the cliff and erected a black wall in front of Kota, blocking him from running away.

"...One of my allies is currently attacking the lodge…going back now would be unwise," Shepherd said as he walked towards the trapped Kota. "You'll be safer if you stay where you are, kid."

Kota stared at the distinctive demonic-dog mask of the boy. Horror shot through his body as he realized who he was staring at. He'd seen a news report the other day on this guy since he'd heard the dreaded villain Muscular, who killed his parents, was brutally murdered himself by a villain called…Shepherd. A villain who takes equal delight in fighting.

"Get back…get away from me!" Kota cried in terror. Seeing this, Shepherd just grew confused as he walked towards him with an outstretched hand. "...Look kid…I just want to talk."

A blur of motion suddenly swept between them and then a green-haired boy scooped up Kota as Shepherd was momentarily confused by the sudden interference. Izuku soon skidded to a stop, and placed himself in front of Kota protectively, turning his attention to the villain before him.

However…his anger was soon replaced with confusion and shock.

"I-Is that you, Hakazuka…?!"

Shepherd looked to the side. Now standing in front of the boy wearing the hat with horns, stood a green-haired youth in a white T-shirt, shorts and red running shoes. His eyes pulsed with a mixture of shock and fear as he looked at Shepherd. "Hakazuka…you're Hakazuka-kun aren't you?! Don't you remember me from the USJ? It's me, Midoriya Izuku!"

"..."

"You…you know this villain?!" Kota whispered, alternating his gaze between Izuku and the hound-masked villain.

"My ex-classmate…Hakazuka Kotaro." The freckled teen explained to Kota. "We all thought he was dead…!"

"…Who the hell are you…? And who the heck is Hakazuka…?" He turned his entire body around, facing the green-haired teen. The black sludge swirling around Shepherd continued to morph formlessly as Shepherd was unsure how to react to this strange encounter.

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you back in the USJ!" The boy cried, his eyes carrying a mixture of hope and sadness. "It's me Midoriya! You said my name, didn't you? Hakazuka-kun?!"

"Midoriya…" Shepherd muttered, making Izuku feel hopeful for a moment, before it crumbled away at his next words. "You're the green haired boy from the man-child's kill list…you're placed pretty high…not that it matters…"

"H-Hakazuka…!" Midoriya blanched at that. It has only been a few months since the USJ…how could he had forgotten him?! "D-Don't you remember? We used to play 'Heroes and Villains' together, you always complained about being the villain because you hated pain…"

"...Just how long are you going to blabber that nonsense…?" Shepherd's sludge oozed out of his arms and swirled around him in circles, copious amounts of toxic liquid metal making Midoriya and Kouta's eyes widened in shock. "…it's getting annoying."

"Kouta, get back…" Deku said, glancing over his shoulder to see the boy's spooked face. "Did he say anything to you?"

"N-No…he…he just said I'm not the one he's looking for…!"

.

_Not the one he's looking for? He's looking for someone?_

_._

"Hakazuka! Just what is the League's motive for coming here?!" Midoriya demanded.

Shepherd growled in annoyance. "So noisy...that is none of your concern…in any case, you are not the one I'm looking for...Get out of my way."

Izuku clenched his fist and stood his ground. "I'm not letting you get away this time! I'm taking you back with me, Hakazuka!"

"...What nonsense." Shepherd's scowl became a condescending sneer, his lips curling up like a hungry beast. "That fragile arrogance of yours…I'll enjoy crushing it."

The situation wasn't looking so good for Izuku, but he'd managed to learn some important information in the process: One, he and a few others were part of a 'kill list' made by Shigaraki. Second, one person seemed to be their sole target tonight, and from the way Shepherd phrased it, the villains will stop at nothing until that particular individual falls into their hands.

But there could be more.

Izuku wasn't confident about his chances against Hakazuka, but now that the boy himself was alone, he couldn't pass this chance up. Hakazuka…he had failed to save him once…he couldn't bear to live with himself if he slips through his fingers again. He would never call himself a hero.

Izuku clenched his fists and activated Full-Cowl, feeling the usual spike of energy flow throughout his body. "I'm not the same as I was before, Hakazuka-kun! This time for sure, I'll save you!"

"...I don't have any recollection of being affiliated with weaklings such as you. None whatsoever." Shepherd scowled in irritation and readied [Toxic Sludge]. "This could have gone a lot better if you had just stayed out of the way. As you wanted, you'll die right here! **SCHWARZ KIEFER!** (Jaws of the Black Beast)"

A massive torrent of sludge shot forward and morphed itself into two sets of sharp teeth, almost crunching Izuku into halves if not for his fast movements. Izuku barely managed to dodge out of harm's way by jumping to the rockface, and had to jump away again when the sludge chased him and destroyed the rocky surface where he was a moment ago.

Izuku then picked up a boulder and threw it straight at Shepherd like a discus, but a wall of sludge immediately erected before the villain and shattered the rock projectile.

Midoriya was now in a position behind Shepherd and leapt towards him, arcs of green electricity dancing across his body as he aimed a punch towards Shepherd's unguarded back. Shepherd spun on his heel and morphed the sludge on his right arm into a hellish blade, his black construct being more massive than before as he swiped the air behind him. But Izuku had dodge the edge sliding down and rolled past the villain. Furious, Shepherd lashed out his sludge behind him, only to miss the boy again. Shepherd than realized… "From above!" He barely had time to morph his sludge into a circular shield as Midoriya roared above him. "**5% DETROIT…SMASH!**"

The force sent a shockwave throughout the rocky arena, but the strike Izuku delivered did no more than create web-like cracks on the sludge shield, allowing Shepherd to swat him away.

_No matter what I do…he can react instantly to attack or defend with that sludge of his…!_

"It's no use," Shepherd intoned. "Your speed is above average, but your power isn't enough to break through my sludge…is that all you got, weakling?"

Izuku rolled to a stop and glanced at Shepherd, panting heavily as his 'Full-Cowl' shut down. "Urgh…!" Izuku grunted as he regained his balance. _No, I can't worry about Kacchan right now…! His sludge had gotten stronger…I have to weave through it and knock him out! This may be my only chance to save Hakazuka! I can do this!_

Dodging the relentless attacks with no rest in-between, Izuku continued to weave through Shepherd's sludge and landed back on the ground, an unidentifiable chill ran down his spine.

From under Midoriya's feet, the spear-like tendrils of sludge erupted all around him in one go; while he was distracted by the sludge in the air, other blobs of toxic metal were drilling into the ground!

Izuku twisted his body to jump back, but he didn't make it in time and his side was pierced by a black spear. "Guaggh-!" Potent toxins entered his bloodstream, and Shepherd used this chance to wrap his [Toxic Sludge] around Izuku's neck and slapped him to the rockface.

"…I'm not interested in playing with you," Shepherd narrowed his eyes as the sludge morphed into a giant blade, raised above Izuku like a guillotine. "I'll slice your head off in one blow…!"

"This isn't you Hakazuka-kun!" Izuku shouted in desperation, causing Shepherd's expression to turn a shade darker. "I don't know what the villains did to you…but you have to fight it! I know you can!"

"...Begging for mercy? As expected from a weakling." Shepherd replied coldly. "If you're regretting the fact that you wanted to fight, then you can only blame your own impotence." The tendrils of sludge snaked towards Izuku like a living monster. "Being part of the so-called 'prestigious' school of UA doesn't change the fact that you're just a weakling deluding yourself into thinking you're strong. Just look at yourself now; you are too weak…and you are about to die."

_His quirk lets him utilize his sludge both offensively and defensively, and it has a deadly toxic property, too…not to mention his regeneration quirk. I can't even land a hit in! I can't just fight him straight on, he'll shrugged everything I throw at 5%. And I have to quickly inform the rest about the villain's objective. How…how should I proceed?_

"…You're absolutely right Hakazuka. I am weak." Izuku huffed, re-activating his 'Full-Cowl'. "However, I can prove that wrong."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"BY SAVING YOU!"

Izuku aimed his hand above the [Toxic Sludge] user and flicked his finger, creating a blast of wind that caused several boulders to fall in Shepherd's direction. "Wha-!" This forced him to released Izuku and morphed the sludge to a defensive shield.

Izuku forced his limbs to stand and prepared for another attack.

"…Are you done with that crap? You accomplished nothing but managing to piss me off…!" Shepherd growled. "For the last time…my name is Shepherd. I'm just here to do my job...I'll spare the lot of you if you leave me alone…why is that so hard to understand?! If you want to fight so badly, I'll make sure to give you a violent death!" In madness, Shepherd morphed his sludge into a beaked spear and tore the area around Midoriya to bits.

Midoriya's eyes narrowed, his quick mind calculating what his options were. _His sludge…he needs time to react and morph them according to the situation. During that exchange, his sludge didn't go after me when I managed to escape from his field of vision; he needs to see to in order to morph his sludge. If that's the case…_

_I'll overwhelm him with speed!_

Izuku crouched low before jumping towards the rocky cliff and dashed around Shepherd, aiming a punch near the back of his head when the [Toxic Sludge] user was disoriented from all his jumping. "He's fast-!" But Shepherd spotted Midoriya's assault and willed the sludge to form a wall, though it wasn't stronger enough and barely prevented Izuku's fist from reaching his face.

_I'll attack from his blind spots!_

"…Don't get cocky!" Shepherd snarled, morphing his sludge to blades and sliced through the air, only for the green-haired boy to retreat his step and dodged once more. "If you think I'm easy to beat, then you have a lot more coming…!"

"I'm not here to beat you! I'm here to SAVE you! I know you're in there somewhere Hakazuka!" Midoriya retorted back angrily.

"I'm taking you with me, even if I have to drag you along!"

.

**=[Training Camp. Forest Trail]=**

Uraraka and Tsuyu cautiously moved down the forest path, keeping their eyes peeled for students waiting to scare them.

"I-I think I just heard a scream…" Uraraka muttered, inching closer to her amphibious friend.

"We'll be fine-ribbit." Tsuyu, showed no visible reaction. Hearing this, the girl nodded, but remained tensed.

It has been a tough day for Uraraka. While training all day on her quirk, she had also been trying to talk to Midoriya about the things plaguing his mind recently. The boy was still so nervous around her, but seeing him slightly more chipper and cheerful than before made her relieved.

So for now, she just had to focus on not getting scared silly and completing this test of courage, keeping an eye out for those class B students.

Both she and Tsuyu leapt back in surprise when Mandalay's message played in their heads. After processing this information for a few seconds, the two girls looked at each other in terror.

"V-Villains…here…?!" Uraraka stammered. "B-But, but how?"

"Ochako look out!"

.

**=[]=**

"I'm here to take you back Hakazuka!" Izuku said as he huffed and puffed, while the villain observed his tired state with an annoyed look. The OFA successor reactivated his 'Full-Cowl', green lightning racing over his skin. "If I can't save you, who inspired and encouraged me to be a hero, then I don't deserve to be one. I know you're in there somewhere...All-Might knows it too! It was because of you I was able to have courage...I met All-Might...I got my quirk...I made so many friends I didn't know I could...it was all because of you!"

"As your friend, I will say this with certainty." Izuku flashed a cringe-worthy smile despite his injuries. "Fear not, because _I_ am here, Hakazuka!"

Shepherd fell silent; the movement of his sludge slowed as he registered the absurd things this boy was saying. Before Izuku could continue, Shepherd cast an extremely furious look.

"…I've had enough…! **SCHWARZ…**" Shepherd took the initiative this time and unleashed as much toxic sludge his body allowed him, his sludge increasing rapidly in mass and formed a massive construct in the shape of a beast's jaw, towering over Izuku and crunched down on the entire rockface of the cliff. "…**GEFÄNGNIS KIEFER!** (Prison Jaws of the Black Beast)"

"This is-!" The OFA successor yelped as his vision was obscured by the rushing mass of sludge. There was a hint of movement from Izuku before the sludge reached him, and soon the entire cliff shook with falling debris and huge amounts of dust conjured a smokescreen. Clicking his tongue at carelessly giving the opponent some cover, Shepherd formed countless bladed, black tendrils. The sludge hit nothing but rock, and Izuku emerged from the dust cloud. His T-shirt was so shredded that he tossed it away, revealing a bare chest riddled with cuts and bruises.

_"Why aren't I hitting him?!"_ Shepherd thought, somewhere between astonished and outraged. _"Is he getting faster? Or has he adjusted himself to my quirk?!"_

And then, the boy dashed forward with unprecedented speed.

Shepherd gritted his teeth as Izuku sped once more into his blind spot, the former barely have enough time to morph a shield to deflect Izuku's glancing blow. With quick jabs and kicks, the villain was slowly being forced into the defensive. _He's aiming for places outside my field of vision_, Shepherd realized after the eighth jab aimed at his unguarded neck. He was quickly growing frustrated by the boy's hit-and-run tactics, and the final straw was Midoriya stepped in close and threw a right hook from Shepherd's left, making the [Toxic Sludge] user nearly tumbled over with a heavy bruise on his cheek and coughed violently.

_This isn't you! You have to wake up!_

_"Shut up...!"_

"I'm not done yet!" Izuku bolted straight for Shepherd while he was down, forcing the villain to concentrate all of his sludge into a hardened cocoon-like shield. Suddenly, Izuku was the one dominating the fight; hitting the protective dome of toxic sludge with a steady and violent barrage of kicks and punches. If Shepherd wanted to switch from 'defense' to 'offense', his sludge would have to morph, but doing so will break the shield's durability and the boy's punches will break through.

"I can't afford to take damage now...!" Cracks appeared on the sludge shield, and it finally shattered to reveal Izuku, making Shepherd freeze as he took in Izuku's face. There was never a hint of fear in the boy's face and his eyes held deadly determination; tensing his arm muscles as the power in Izuku seemed to be pushing to its very limits. Shepherd's eyes widen with slight shock as a dangerous amount of energy appeared to be gathering in his arm.

_I can't draw this battle out…his power exceeds mine, and I can't inflict damage to him in my 'Full-Cowl'! You're strong…Hakazuka! I have to bet everything I have on this chance…TAKE THIS HAKAZUKA!_

Izuku didn't have the luxury to be careful and he knew it. He didn't know whether his power would be strong even to knock Shepherd unconscious – at this rate, Hakazuka was going to overpower him and he would be killed on the spot. He could only count on Hakazuka's [Regeneration] to save him. Arcs of green lightning surged around his right arm in massive bolts as he charged up a shot at 100% and went for Shepherd's sternum. Shepherd willed every single drop of sludge in his body in an attempt to block instead of dodging.

**"100% DETROIT SMASH!"**

A devastating impact shook the area, blasting Shepherd into the rock face with a massive shockwave which threatened to throw Kota off the face of the cliff, but Izuku raced back towards the boy and prevented his fall with his remaining good arm, pulling him back to safety. "K-Kota-kun!"

Kota stared at Izuku's broken arm in fright. "Y-Your…your arm-!"

"I'll be fine," Izuku gasped, glancing over his shoulder towards the area of impact. "More importantly, Hakazuka, is he-"

"BEHIND YOU!" Kota screamed. A long, black tendril lashed out from the smoke, grabbing Izuku's leg and flinging him against the rocky surface.

Shepherd was already in the air, his dark figure now accompanied by a bigger and more copious amount of toxic sludge tendrils. His entire body looked bruised, but the horrifying fact still remained that he had survived Midoriya's full power. The other difference was that a furious snarl was plastered on Shepherd's face. "That was close you bastard…!" Shepherd growled. "For a moment, I thought I crossed the damage threshold."

Izuku pushed Kota away, before bracing crossing his arms in defense as Shepherd's sludge transformed into multiple spears and lashed towards him.

He managed to guard himself, but one sludge tendril managed to pierce through Izuku's left arm and forced him to the ground, almost letting out a scream of extreme pain. Not letting up, Shepherd willed his sludge tendrils to grab hold of Izuku's leg and flung him against the side of the cliff. The green-haired boy stood up staggeringly, looking at his arm to see a black infection surrounding the area where Shepherd's sludge pierced through.

_I can't afford to let this body take anymore damage...!_

"Why..." Shepherd's dark and demented voice snarled towards Izuku's grovelling figure. "...Why is a weakling like you...!" The sludge turned into a massive fist and hammered down on Izuku, causing the poor boy to cough blood as his face was pushed to the ground. "...giving me such a hard time?!"

Izuku coughed more blood as another sludge tendril speared through his other arm. "Your quirk enhances your speed and power...but that's it. You got in just one decent punch...and you think you'd won?!"

Shepherd intoned darkly as blood flew from Izuku's mouth. "I take back what I said about you earlier, Midoriya Izuku. You are strong…that's why…"

A torrent of sludge hit Izuku in the chest and made him grovel in pain. "…I'll definitely kill you."

"H-Hakazuka..." Izuku croaked. "You...are definitely not weak...!" Shepherd paused. "You never fought back against those bullies...because you didn't want to trouble anyone. You were so kind, that's why...it pains me to see you like this."

A bad feeling arose within Shepherd, tightening his fists till they turned white. "...shut up...SHUT UP! WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

"I'll never give up." Izuku grabbed hold of the sludge tendril piercing through his right arm and used it to pull himself out of the rocks. "I won't go back on my promises." His eyes flashed a vibrant emerald-green and then he grabbed the sludge with both hands and willed the power of One for All into his body for the last time. "What I couldn't do 6 months ago...I'LL SHOW IT TO YOU NOW!" A powerful yank pulled a shocked Shepherd into the air, and soon he fell towards a shaky Izuku, trails of red and green lightning coursing through his battered arm.

"You told me I can become a hero, Hakazuka!" Midoriya screamed for everyone to hear. "So let me show it to you! **ONE FOR ALL…**"

**"1000000%"**

"SHIT-!"

**"DELAWARE…DETROIT SMASH!"**

The fist hit home on Shepherd's chest, and a shockwave blew over everyone in the vicinity.

Shepherd's fingers twitched slightly as his body was absolutely pulverized; a massive searing wound on his chest as Izuku's final blow punched his body higher into the sky. For a moment, it looked like Shepherd was struggling to move…but after a few intense seconds, he never did; his figure faling limply back to the earth.

Izuku had both of his arms thoroughly torn and battered, panting heavily with exhaustion before his legs finally gave way. Thankfully, Kota had rushed forward to support him, and the two of them gazed at Shepherd's motionless body. "You did it! You really defeated him!"

"It's…it's…finally over…!"

However, a thought crossed the boy's mind.

_"Something's wrong…"_ Midoriya frowned. _"He should be regenerating by now…"_

Izuku took heavy breaths and fell on his knees as the broken body of Shepherd fell to the ground. However much to Izuku's shock, what should have been the loud thud of a body hitting the rocky ground gave way to a loud splatter, and Shepherd's body liquefied into a big puddle of black goop. He staggered away from the mess and observed this with shock, as his Full-Cowl finally dissipated and replaced the boy's power with fatigue.

"...I won't forget this...!" Shepherd's distorted voice said before he dissolved into complete nothingness. "Midoriya...Izuku...!"

Kota looked horrified. "W-What happened to him?"

"He turned into sludge…?! No-a clone?!" Midoriya muttered, his thoughts racing. _"I thought he could only control sludge…not become it. That means this is another villain's quirk at work here. There's a high chance that I've not been fighting the real Hakazuka?!"_

"I have been fighting a fake all this time…?! No no no NO!" Izuku frantically clawed at the goopy remains of 'Shepherd' and desperately looked for his friend. "Where is Hakazuka?! WHERE IS HE!?"

"We have to go back! If that guy was a fake, that means the real one is still out there!" Izuku felt Kota's frantic voice pulling him out of his thoughts. "That guy said he was looking for your classmate! His target must be a student!"

The teenager blanched. Kota was right, if the villains aim was one of his classmates…then he must be somewhere in the forest where they were supposed to have the test of courage!

"…thanks Kota-kun! Grab on to me!" Izuku let out a shaky breath as he lifted Kota onto his back, racing to the lodge first to place him in safety. This was merely the beginning…Izuku clenched his teeth in terror as he picked up the pace. Villains were attacking, one of his classmates was targeted, and worse of all…

Hakazuka was still lying in wait.

.

**=[A moment before the commencement of the Training Camp Attack.]=**

_A short distance away, Twice, the villain in the black/gray body suit was standing on the branch of a tree beside Dabi's real body. He perked up as he created a perfect replica of the [Cremation] villain. "Dabi! Your clone is ready! Let's kick some ass!"_

_"…that Eraserhead will be a handful." Dabi muttered. "What if the clone's not enough?"_

_"Have more confidence! You're strong, man! It's just that we're dealing with your perfect counter this time, you know?!"_

_"We don't have to defeat them, we just have to keep them busy until our target is found…" A feral-like voice came from the back and the two villains turned to see the [Toxic Sludge] user walking towards them. "Keep the teachers in the lodge busy...and I'll go take care of Ragdoll."_

_"There is another Pro-hero besides Eraserhead it seems, so it would be hard to take him down here." Dabi muttered and looked towards the cabin. "Twice, we're going to keep Eraserhead there as long as we can, as planned."_

_"Okie dokie! What 'bout you Shepherd?"_

_"Your [Double] allows you to make two copies at once right?" A nod confirmed Shepherd's question. "Clone me as well, Twice. We're going to increase the rate of the search for Bakugo Katsuki."_

_"You do know that your copy will have a weaker endurance level than Dabi's copy, don't you?"_

_"Doesn't matter," Shepherd snorted. "As long as I don't let them hit me, they'll never think it's a clone."_

_"You got it! I'll make as many weaklings as you guys need! Oh-I m-mean…" Twice nearly bit his tongue when Shepherd glared at him. "…those copies would totally rock those heroes' worlds. They're the strongest!"_

_"No...sorry, that's a bad habit of mine." Shepherd quickly apologized to Twice. "In any case...I'll never expect much of mere clones in the first place."_

_._

**=[Training Camp. Forest Trail]=**

"Tetsutetsu, are you okay?" Kendou Itsuka, the big sister of the B class asked her classmate as both of them walked cautiously through the forest, bright red ear defenders on their heads thanks to the quick thinking of Yaoyorozu they've met earlier.

It was hard to communicate without much sound, but it was better than being exposed to the deadly music.

"Something's fishy…" Tetsutetsu mouthed to Kendou, a hand placed on his ear defender. "We've been walking for a while, and the music's getting stronger…don't you feel the air vibrating?"

"The sound should be originating from a single point," Kendou noted, pointing deeper into the woods. "If the vibrations in the air are getting stronger…it means that we are getting closer to the source."

"What are you saying?"

"We are nearing the person in the middle of all of this," Kendou told him. "Probably the one responsible for creating this weird music."

"We don't have much time left," Kendou continued, mouthing her words to Tetsutetsu and pointing to her ears. "We don't know just how effective these ear defenders are."

"But you and I aren't affected so much when we heard the music," Tetsutetsu commented. "What's with that?"

"I'm not too certain…but I suspect that we may have some sort of resistance to the villain's quirk. Or perhaps we were too far to fall under the music's effect"

"That's good to hear then!" Tetsutetsu registered that one sentence with vigour and rushed towards the source of the music. "Shishida and the others are having a hard time with this music, I gotta do something about this! Let's bring down this villain and save everyone! Kendou!"

Nodding her head in agreement, both of the students soon reached a clearing surrounded by tall, imposing trees. Tetsutetsu dashed forward and looked around, hastily searching for villains. "The music has gotten louder, but where is the villain?!" He gave Kendou a confused look.

Kendou just scanned the surroundings and prepared for battle. "Stay sharp, Tetsutetsu. We don't know if she's just hiding somewhere."

"Two students with ear protection? You heroes sure counteract quickly…" said a voice from above. The two students looked up to see a girl with lavender-coloured hair braided to the side sitting on a branch, her ornate flute upon her lips as she looked down on her two new arrivals, and a porcelain mask with feather designs hid her upper features. "Welcome, students of UA. My name is Siren, of the Vanguard Action Squad."

"Are you the villain responsible for all of this?" Kendou demanded.

"Indeed I am. I'm extremely grateful for the two of you coming here out of your own accord." Shizune cast her an icy look in contrast to her polite manners. "It makes my job so much easier."

"Your job? You mean making our classmates attack each other?" Kendou asked, her eyes glaring at the lavender-haired villain. "Sorry, but we're here to take you down."

Siren jumped down from her hiding spot as she locked eyes with Kendou. "I only remember the boy beside you in Shigaraki's kill list. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, quirk [Steel]…which allows him to turn his skin into steel." Shizune stated, making the boy narrow his eyes. "Kendou…was it? To answer your question, your friends will have to dance to my tune for a while longer. Though I have no intention to kill, I will do anything in my power to keep everyone here busy."

Tetsutetsu stepped forward. "You think we're just gonna let you roam free? I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a girl!"

"Oh, I'll have no doubts that you two will stop me. And after you have all fallen victim to my [Psychosis], it won't be just us the Pros would have to fight."

"NO!" Kendou hissed, her mind filled with horror by what this villain was intending to do. "You want to control us like puppets?!"

"Never something so drastic, but I could if you force me to." Siren continued coldly as she twirled the flute in her hands like a baton. "But why would I need to fight, when you heroes can just tear each other up from within?" She added coldheartedly.

"Your sound won't affect us. If you don't want to get hurt, I suggest you stop playing that flute." Kendou growled, pointing to her ear defenders. "If it's just you, we are more then enough to take you down."

"You two might be resistant now, but don't think mere ear plugs are going to save you forever." Shizune stated, bringing her flute to her lips. "And who ever said I was alone?" Her haunting melody began to reverberate throughout the forest like an eerie lullaby.

**"Psycho Flute: Hysterical Performance!"**

Tetsutetsu saw two dark shadows moving towards them from behind and growled; the two creeping figures were cloaked in shadow but he could tell they were a girl and a boy. "A sneak attack huh?! You're not getting the jump on us, ya hear me?!" Without pause he charged towards the mysterious assailants and cocked back his steel-skinned fist, "I'm going to beat you all with everything I got!"

Kendou's eyes widened when the two figures stepped into the light and she shouted at her fellow hard-headed classmate. "Tetsutetsu stop! Those are not villains! That's-!"

_***Gloop!***_

The [Big Fist] female observed in horror as Tetsutetsu's feet suddenly began sinking into the ground, breaking up his momentum and caused him to stumble onto the forest soil. Immediately before Tetsutetsu had a chance to react, a mass of vines shot towards him and knocked Tetsutetsu into the air. Kendou was in complete bafflement when she turned to Tetsutetsu's attackers, only to gape in horror when she recognized the assailants. "Shiozaki?! Honenuki?!"

**"Stay away from our classmate,"** said the girl with thorn-covered vines for hair, and the boy with the face resembling a skull simultaneously, like possessed beings.

Slowly entering the clearing, the [Vines] and [Softening] quirk users glared at their former classmates. Kendou rushed to help Tetsutetsu up, but her shaking eyes never left their new 'enemies'. Their eyes were bloodshot, and what truly frightened her was the purple glow illuminating their pupils, giving them a demonic appearance.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?!"

**"Tell me, esteemed students of the hero course..."** Shizune asked, a dark smile of ecstasy on her face for once. **"...Would you be kind enough to let me play your requiem?"**

.

**=[]=**

"Attention Vanguard Action Squad members, I have encountered the priority target. Everyone who is in the forest, continue drawing the heroes' attention." A boy spoke into his earpiece as he gazed upon Bakugo and Todoroki.

Moonfish was laying under Shepherd's boot; the crazed cannibal shivering crazily as he struggled to move his battered body. His eyes shook with a hungry light and his teeth elongated again, trying to push himself off of Shepherd's foot. "Meat…my meat…nonononoNONONONO! I'm the one who gets to cut up the meat! No one else-!" He screamed fervently as his tooth-blades shot at Shepherd, but they were crushed instantly by a sharp tendril of hardened sludge, and the [Toxic Sludge] villain's eyes glared at him with condescension.

"Your orders were to capture Bakugo Katsuki alive. What if you killed him by mistake?" Shepherd growled, his eyes dancing with a dangerous light as he morphed the black ooze into a giant blade upon his hand and raised it above Moonfish like a guillotine, "What a useless imbecile."

Moonfish's screams were cut short as his head was sliced clean off his shoulders with a wave of Shepherd's hand, his twitching body never to move again.

Both Bakugo and Todoroki gritted their teeth upon seeing this, as the sludge tendrils returned to the villain's side; his undivided attention now on the two students.

"The villain bastard just killed his own teammate…!" Katsuki snarled, bristling in a mixture of anger and utter fear. He had always been waiting for the chance to get back at the villain who humiliated him in the USJ, but seeing him now was causing nervous drops of sweat to roll down the explosive teen's forehead.

_"Shepherd,"_ The voice of Kurogiri spoke through the communicator in the boy's ear. _"I have visual on your location. Do you require any assistance?"_

"No one is to come here, my instructions are to be followed." Shepherd ordered, his voice dangerous. "Or I'll kill them like how I did with Moonfish."

He just beheaded his comrade without batting an eyelid…!

Todoroki could only stare at the new arrival with his eyes wide in silent terror. He'd been beaten by this very villain before, but…seeing him now only made the boy certain that he was way stronger as compared to his appearance in the USJ.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, students of UA." Shepherd introduced himself to the student duo, his tone dripping with malice as he surveyed their faces. "I am Shepherd. Like this insufferable trash of a cannibal before you, I am a villain _bastard_ from the League of Villains, of this Vanguard Action Squad."

"You're the villain back from the USJ," Todoroki frowned as he shifted his feet to ready himself for combat. "You said something about capturing Bakugo alive, didn't you?" His words caused a slither of a smile to show on Shepherd's lips. "…was that the villains' goal all along?"

"…I don't recall ever meeting you before? Well, it doesn't matter. That's right…our target has always been…you alone. Bakugo Katsuki." Shepherd declared with a finger pointing towards the stunned blonde. "All of your fellow classmates who are currently fighting for their lives…well, you can say that they have suffered because of you…"

"This is all my fault? Don't give me that crap," Katsuki snapped back with seething rage. "What does the shitty League even want with me?"

"…why ask so many questions? It would make everyone's lives so much easier if you'd just come along quietly..." Shepherd answered with a disinterested look in his eyes. The sludge morphed into a beast's head and destroyed the trees and rocks by Bakugo and Todoroki's right side, making the two boys sweat as the area was easily crushed and crunched to bits.

"That was just a warning shot..." Shepherd stated, causing Bakugo's teeth to gnash furiously. "...Come with me, Bakugo Katsuki."

Todoroki stepped forward and a layer of frost began to form on his right arm, "You may have beaten us before, but we were not the same as we were back then. Don't get cocky."

Shepherd took a heavy step forward in response, as though to challenge the [Half-cold, Half-hot] user's declaration. The dual-elementalist of class 1-A could feel the murderous aura emanating from the villain's glare. "Weaklings shouldn't get in the way…if you interfere with my mission, I'll kill you."

_This dangerous feeling...that tone...is this really...him?!_ Bakugo thought horrified. _This isn't true...that shitty crybaby...!_

"...You can come with me willingly or you can delay the inevitable by sacrificing more of your friends," Shepherd threatened as he stalked towards him. "I don't care which."

Mirroring Shepherd's dangerous glare, Bakugo growled at the [Toxic Sludge] villain, enunciating each word with dripping revulsion and intense rage, "Eat shit, you damn villain."

"I see…" Shepherd sighed, **"...how troublesome."**

**.**

**=[To be Continued]=**

A/N: His friend had slipped from Midoriya's grasp...and true malice has shown itself in front of Bakugo!

Write a review on what you think! See you next time!


	14. The Reasons We Fight

I'm back! Just one think to take note, I tweaked the names of Siren's attack because I feel its better in the long run. Other than that, it's now midway into the Training Camp Arc!

Before we start the chapter, on to reviews!

Guest: I'm not planning to cancel this story, so don't worry yet.

Harry Marcelo: Welcome to the story and thanks for the kind words. Hope you continue watching Shepherd's journey.

CREED6: Shepherd is calmer now thanks to his past self being suppressed. You can say that over time, the personality known as 'Shepherd' is getting more control.

Zasshu Fahahahahaha: Thanks for the review, and to answer that, Shepherd is just a lost boy who is trying his best to survive. He's not an op villain, nor is he smart with a goal to overthrow hero society. His actions and actions are just a way to escape his 'weak' past. His fights may seem repetitive but his trauma plays a huge part in this story.

J Nation14: Thanks for the comment! Hope I used Twice's quirk correctly.

ocomhdhain1: I got inspiration from that scene as well. Shepherd's fighting style is kind of a mix between Gaara and Akutagawa from Bungou Stray Dogs.

Now onwards!

**Chapter 14: The Reasons We Fight**

.

_**=[Flashback]=**_

_"Bakugo?" Hakazuka's voice echoed behind him._

_Bakugo turned to see Hakazuka behind him. The weird thing was…he was wearing his Aldera School uniform, a few years younger than Katsuki's current age. The young boy had a cheery but nervous smile, a concerned look on his face. He remembered him now…_

_He was always with Deku. He was someone who always needed protecting, someone who always needed help and looking after. He was so quiet that Katsuki never knew what he was thinking, much less his problems with bullying. He always hated that part of that guy…always putting on a smile in spite of his pain…never fighting back. It has always been this way…and it creeped him out. He was disgusted by Hakazuka's attitude, always taking the hits but never hitting back. Forget about not having a quirk, Bakugo knew the boy wouldn't last long with his submissive attitude._

_"Bakugo?" the rust-colored teen repeated with a smile. "What's wrong?"_

_Smacking his hand away, Bakugo heard himself shout. "Get lost! That pathetic attitude of yours pisses me off…you useless crybaby!"_

_The scenery melted away and suddenly he was in their previous school's classroom. Hakazuka was standing in front of him, bruised and battered from all his years of being preyed upon. He'd heard himself speak again, "Even Deku got his smarts, while you are just plain pathetic! You guys want to be heroes so bad? I got a time-saving idea for both of you, better hope to be born with a quirk in your next life and take a swan-dive off the roof!"_

_That's not what I meant, he thought in horror, I didn't mean it. You were supposed to fight back goddammit! But for some reason, he couldn't speak. Hakazuka looked up at him, a dead look now in his eyes , ones filled with hopelessness and despair._

_"You're right Bakugo," he muttered. "I should just die right now. I'm just a weakling through and through…always relying on others…useless."_

_There was a loud scream and a crash. Bakugo found himself standing outside, heavy rain cascading upon him. Hakazuka's bloody, mangled body laid motionless on the wet ground, crimson liquid blossoming into red flower-patterns. Bakugo's own feet were drenched in blood. Bakugo's hands shook, his heart hammered against his chest, before reason returned to his mind and he shouted._

_"Fuck! Fuck! You weren't supposed to do that you idiot! Who in the right mind will be this desperate?!" Katsuki attempted to wake Hakazuka up, but all he felt was cold death. "Even if you're quirkless…!"_

_"Oh but he won't," a deep voice caused Bakugo's head to jolt upwards, seeing a towering man looming over Hakazuka. "By the time I'm done with him, he will be far from quirkless." A twisted smile caused Bakugo to back off by pure instinct, the mysterious man looking at him like a snake coiling around its prey. "Young man…thank you."_

_A scream erupted from Bakugo before he finally woke up._

_._

**=[Training Camp Forest, with Bakugo and Todoroki]=**

Two purple eyes stared intently towards Bakugo's.

The face was much older than the one he had in his memories of Aldera Junior High but there was no mistaking him. He was dressed similarly than the last time they'd crossed paths in the USJ, the new iron mask he was wearing now resembling a demonic beast's jaw. His white hair gleaming under the moonlight, an unreadable expression on his face as he surveyed the two class A students.

"This is bullshit…," Katsuki said, his voice breaking the silence, "It can't be you. You can't possibly be _him_...!"

"...I have no idea what you're talking about." Shepherd spoke out, his voice shockingly familiar to Bakugo's ears. "Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of dealing with your nonsense right now."

"Bakugo…" Todoroki said, his ice at the ready, "I know what you're thinking…but this isn't the time to fight."

For once, Bakugo didn't have the heart to snap back with his usual explosive remarks for retreating…that just showed how shocked he was just looking at him. If it was any other villain he would have charged straight in, but the words of Deku just echoed within him. The villain's voice was exactly the same as the quirkless boy who used to cry over the smallest things and was too weak to defend himself…but it had gotten so much colder. This boy who died because of his words…because of the actions of those two goons who followed him around…he died…and was nothing more than a lingering memory.

Or at least that was how it was supposed to be.

"...You can come with me willingly or delay the inevitable by sacrificing more of your friends," Shepherd thundered as he stalked towards Bakugo and Todoroki. "I don't really care which."

"Eat shit," Katsuki snarled, bristling in a mixture of rage and utter fear. Unlike their encounter during the USJ, this villain appeared to be much calmer than before. One thing that perplexed Bakugo as well was way Shepherd was addressing him; like it was their first time meeting each other but Bakugo knew it wasn't the time for ask why.

"Don't fight recklessly!" Todoroki called out after Bakugo. "If what he said was true, then the villain's true objective tonight is just you! The most important thing now is to regroup and join up with the teachers!"

Todoroki glanced at Shepherd warily. He didn't know if he could convince someone as prideful as Bakugo to retreat, but the reality of the situation didn't give him much of a choice. If Bakugo wanted to fight, he would have to stay and protect him.

"...Stay back." Shepherd warned, his purple eyes darkening. "...Or I'll kill you."

His sludge morphed into sharpened tendrils and Bakugo realized he was about to do, "Todoroki! Dodge!" Bakugo yelled, and both boys leapt to the side as a barrage of sludge tendrils lashed forward; the former landing on a tree with an explosion-propelled jump. Todoroki on the other hand, stomped his foot and intercepted Shepherd's secondary toxic barrage with a giant wall of ice, and much to Shepherd's surprise, the sludge formed cracks in his defense but the wall of ice remained resilient.

"...That's good, fight to the very end." Shepherd said while smiling a little at Todoroki's tenacity. "It makes me agreeing to be part of this mission all the more worthwhile."

As Shepherd took another step, his feet were suddenly encased in ice thanks to Todoroki rapidly freezing the ground. "Get him now!"

Bakugo didn't need any further encouragement. As Todoroki switched his arm to blast off a helix of flames, the [Explosion] quirk user leapt off the tree, shooting himself in a spinning vortex of explosions, almost point-blank with Shepherd. The white-haired boy cursed as he created a shield to prevent the fire from engulfing him completely. Todoroki extinguished the flames, and Shepherd looked up as Bakugo plunged his arms through the toxic sludge guard and pointed both palms at Shepherd's masked face, grinning devilishly.

"**HOWITZER IMPACT!**" Bakugo let loose with everything he had, and Shepherd's entire figure disappeared in a ball of smoke and fire. Not planning to do a half-assed job, Bakugo blasted away again and again, careful not to cause damage to the nearby surroundings while his explosions resounded like thunder. "DIE! DIE! DIE!" He however sensed sudden motion, and leapt back using his explosion to propel himself back to where Todoroki was standing.

The smoke cleared to reveal Shepherd stepping forward, half of his mask shattered and a horrible burns on his face and partially melted skin, but they were soon patched up with new skin and steamed as his wounds healed. He glared pointedly at the two boys. "…if you want to kill me, I suggest you do it seriously."

"Just like those monsters in Hosu and the USJ…," Todoroki clicked his tongue. "Regeneration…!"

"Like hell that's going to stop us!" Bakugo snarled, using his explosions to lift himself into the air. "All-Might managed to beat one, and we can do the same!"

"I really don't like to be compared to those disgusting abominations," Shepherd growled, morphing his sludge into a whip and sent Bakugo crashing to the trees before he could react. "But enough of that; one thing's for sure," he turned his attention to Shoto. "...I have to get rid of you first."

Shoto snapped his neck towards where Shepherd's sludge was snaking towards him, their hardened edges gleaming maliciously in the moonlight. Immediately, Shoto fired up his left arm and aimed it towards the black ooze, shielding himself from the black ooze. However, just as he did so, even more sludge tendrils locked on to him from another direction.

Realizing he was better off sticking with the ice-aspect of his [Half-cold, Half-hot] quirk, Shoto instinctively extinguished the flames on his arm and activated his ice, freezing the attacking sludge solid and shattering them. Not wasting a single second, he shifted his right foot to send a glacial of ice in an attempt to encase Shepherd in ice – but Shepherd gave a rare smirk as he tensed his arm and swung his hand upwards. A wave of sludge tore through the ground like a crescent scythe and destroyed the giant block of surging ice from the underside, splitting it into two clean halves. "**Schwarzer Halbmond!** (Black fanged crescent)"

"What the hell?" whispered Shoto.

Suddenly, the [Toxic Sludge] villain was upon him; dashing in through his ice while Todoroki was momentarily distracted. For the next few seconds, Shoto tried to fend off the white-haired boy using whatever martial arts knowledge he'd picked up from Bakugo and Midoriya's sparring sessions, but his over-reliance on his quirk led to his eventual downfall. Eventually, Shepherd dished out a sludge-enhanced fist and slammed Shoto to the ground.

"…Not bad, you almost got me there. But your close-combat sucks," Shepherd scoffed, before Todoroki passed out with poisonous wounds.

"Icy-hot!" Bakugo yelled out. Among the remains of the ice construct, laid an unmoving Todoroki covered in bruises and Shepherd's toxins. Bakugo could hear him grunting in pain, which meant that he was still alive.

"…I'm going to ask for the final time. Come with me quietly."

"Fat chance," Bakugo responded, fury building in his chest. "I'm going to take you down, so that a little shit like you won't bother anyone else again!"

Propelling himself towards the air above Shepherd, he positioned himself for his attack with the villain as his sole target. _His quirk specializes in both offense and defense, and he has that annoying regeneratio_n, he knew, but it doesn't matter. _If he turned out like this because of me, then I have the responsibility of taking him down here and now._ As he reached the peak of what his [Explosion] could take him into the skies, he could see parts of the training camp forest burning, as well as a strange music permeating through the air from a different direction, small skirmishes occurring everywhere. _Screw not engaging combat, if we don't take the initiative, more of us are going to die._

"I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU MYSELF YOU HEAR ME?!"

_Why do you want to be a hero?_

Everyone has asked him that, ever since he wanted to become one. To win…to win like All-Might, he told them. Because heroes always win. He'd never forgotten how others have belittled him for that, saying that something like that will never be attained. He'd show them, he will be the best, no one will dare look down on him. He had the power to do so.

"The one who's going to get killed, is YOU ASSHOLE!" Katsuki charged at him with his palm peppering with explosions, "Don't underestimate heroes!"

"...I have enough." A long tendril of sludge snaked past Bakugo, grabbing Todoroki's body from the ground and swung it towards the [Explosion] user, causing Bakugo to be surprised and shut off his quirk by reflex. "...you students aren't heroes-in-training for nothing. How predictable..." The body crashed into Bakugo's, and both boys were smashed to the ground. Bakugo wheezed as Shepherd stood before his battered figure.

_Move! _Bakugo commanded himself desperately. _Don't be a burden to everyone!_ His body groaned and obeyed his will despite the pain, and a palm blistering with sparks blasted into Shepherd's torso. He hit hard, splattering blood and smoke everywhere. He felt dirty, like he'd just killed the boy twice, but he panted as he waited for the villain to fall.

A sludge tendril lashed out, flinging Bakugo to the rough ground. His bones cracked against the earth, and a black spear pierced his shoulder, and Bakugo knew he'd heard a 'pop'. He screamed in pain as he hung limply by Shepherd's flexible, toxic quirk. Shepherd remained unfazed despite the burning wound in his chest and the blood dribbling from his lips.

He held Bakugo there with his [Toxic Sludge], waiting for the boy's angry cries to diminish into hissed gurgles. "Listen here," he said in a low voice as a strand of sludge wound around the shoulder, curling and tightening around Bakugo's inflicted wound to form a makeshift bandage. "If you make this annoying for me, I'll take your arm away. I rather have you in one piece so that the man-child wouldn't hound me later on." Shepherd willed the toxins circulating in Bakugo's body to be absorbed back to its original owner, saving him the agonizing pain. "This night will end sooner if you'll just come along quietly, understand?" Bakugo didn't answer, his teeth too tightly clenched. Shepherd just sighed and hovered his body behind him as he made his way deeper into the forest.

Bakugo swallowed his pain as he was helplessly dragged further from everyone. The area near his shoulder was pierced, and he could hardly move his right arm. His heart was pounding painfully against his ribs as he struggled against his binds. _'I will be a hero…I will not let myself be captured in such a pathetic way…'_ Bakugo thought, putting all his energy into his remaining good arm. _'His regeneration is annoying…I have to knock him out in one blow…but my strength…!'_ Bakugo knew Shepherd wouldn't hesitate to cut a limb, and Bakugo couldn't risk losing his arms. They were essential to his future as a hero. The risks were too great.

A defiant roar tore at his throat, but a dark tendril of sludge covered his mouth, effectively silencing him. "…I did warn you," the [Toxic Sludge] user said. Bakugo's eyes widened with horror as Shepherd's bladed tendrils edged towards his arm, but the latter must have changed his mind about amputating a limb. He morphed a giant sludge fist and rammed it in Bakugo's solar plexus.

For the second time that day, the air got knocked out of Bakugo's lungs and caused black spots to appear in his vision. "D-Damn it…!" He'd heard something crack, and finally lost consciousness. He felt himself falling to the ground before tendrils of sludge gently wrapped around his form and held his unconscious form above Shepherd like a bind.

"Attention all Vanguard Action Squad members, the priority target has been secured. Playtime is over, we're going home." Shepherd talked through the ear transmitter and it was the last thing Bakugo remembered before passing out.

.

**=[Training Camp Forest. With Kendo & Tetsutetsu]=**

"You villain!" Kendo shouted. "What've you done to Shiozaki and Honenuki?!" While she stared down at Siren and her new 'companions', Tetsutetsu had gotten back up unsteadily while clutching his head in pain.

Walking over to her, Siren remained let a small smile grace her lips, knowing that Kendo and her classmate wanted to attack her, but was unable to do so thanks to her bodyguards. "What's the matter? Can't bear to attack your fellow friends?"

Tetsutetsu had enough. He moved with a renewed rage few had seen within his class and charged at the entranced Honenuki. "I don't know what the hell you did to them but I'll knock them out of your control!" he shouted as he readied a steel fist promising hurt, but Honenuki moved with surprising speed to intercept Tetsutetsu's attack while Siren continued to resound her melody, his own fist crashing against Tetsutetsu's jaw in a cross-counter. "How can Honenuki punch like that?" Kendo questioned. "He's below Tetsutetsu in terms of raw power!"

"My quirk allows me to produce sound waves that affect the human brain through their auditory nerves…allowing me to manipulate and distort their five senses and emotions. I can give someone something as small as a simple headache…to a realistic hallucination." Siren intoned. "See just how hard they're fighting? They truly think they are fighting villains, isn't that just touching?" she asked, gesturing to the way Shiozaki and Honezuki were standing protectively by her side. "As long as my music is active, they will fight to their last breath."

"So the only way to stop you is that flute of yours." Kendo boldly declared. "Thanks for giving up that information so easily."

"Stop me? I suggest you worry about saving yourselves first." Shizune mocked as she looked at the orange-head. "Once I destroy those ear defenders of yours, I will have you join us as puppets."

Kendo frowned as she saw the flute hovering just below Siren's lips. "You think we're going to give you a chance to play that accursed music of yours?"

"Why not? If you hate listening to my music so much, we can jump straight into action." Siren told the orange-head. "You two, let's show them just how powerful you heroes really are, shall we?" The students flinched when their two entranced classmates glared a dangerous look in their direction. "Go!"

Tetsutetsu braced himself as Honenuki trudged forward. "Oi Honenuki!" he shouted as the [Softening] quirk user charged at him. "You can't do this! You're fighting your friends you know that?!"

"Grrr…graghh!"

Tetsutetsu was forced to dodge his classmate's wild blows and swings as he assaulted him, the latter softening the ground into quicksand to try retraining the [Steel] quirk, but he managed to jump back safety. However as Tetsutetsu turned around, he was horrified to see a massive bramble of green branches rammed him in the gut, making him cough as he was sent tumbling down. "S-Shiozaki…!"

"Your friends have retained their thoughts…their anger…their desire to save their friends. The only thing is now, what they are seeing in their eyes are a little twisted…thanks to my [Psychosis]. Their quirks and battle prowess, are now mine to command." Siren took a long inhale before she played another verse. "As expected of the students from the prestigious course of UA; you all make such wonderful puppets. Go on Shiozaki," she called out. "The faster you take out the enemy, the faster you can save your 'friends'." She said with a commanding tone.

"Must…must…eradicate!" went Shiozaki with absolute anger in her eyes, glowing purple as her plant-like hair extensions hovered in the air. "Via Dolorosa!"

Kendo stared at the girl's complete change in attitude from her usual humbleness with shock, as Shiozaki's vines covered the forest ground in all directions. Kendo knew this move; it was Shiozaki's attack for ensnaring her opponents in all directions with a wide range. She jumped over the vines and smacked her enlarged palm at Shiozaki's belly. She wanted to give a blow powerful enough to knock her out but instead she turned back and lashed out her vines in all directions, sending Kendo flying to the ground. "What? But how could-?" Then she heard it through her ear defenders: music.

Standing a considerable distance away, Siren played another melody from her flute. "You'll have to do more than that of you wish to stop her."

Kendo stood up and wiped the dirt off her cheek, before taking a martial arts stance. "If you think your song is enough to defeat us, you are solely mistaken. We know our classmates' quirks inside out, me and Tetsutetsu are more than enough to take them down."

"Is that so? Then how about a change in tune?" Siren's fingers danced across her flute, sending another deadly melody towards Shiozaki and Honenuki.

**"Psycho Flute: Warsong Performance."**

Both of the students screamed in fury simultaneously and the purple glow in their eyes intensified further. Then, they charged towards Kendo and Tetsutetsu, fighting back with explosive strength.

Both of them stumble backwards as their entranced classmates were pushing them back with a crazed intensity. "What's happening?!" Kendo gasped as she struggled to remain on her feet.

Shizune eye's danced with a malevolent light as she played her song of empowerment. "My flute allows my quirk to be utilized in a variety of effects. While I can bring pain to others, I can also heighten one's battle lust like a drug. I can even manipulate one sense of reason and turn him into a berserker." She leered down at Kendo's wounded form. "How does it feel to be attacked by someone you know so well? Does it hurt? The feeling of helplessness? Savor it well, it may be the last thing you remember before I bring you under my control." She asked as Shiozaki and Honenuki readied for another attack.

Kendo cursed internally as Shiozaki and Honenuki charged at her again, her legs feeling heavy at the thought of hurting her classmates. She got into a martial arts stance and was about to activate her quirk when she felt a silver blur rush past her. "Sorry about this! Shiozaki! Honenuki!" Tetsutetsu shouted before slamming the two entranced puppets with a devastating iron lariat with all his might, sending a stunned Honenuki flying into a tree trunk with a loud crash. Shiozaki on the other hand, tumbled on the dirt with the whites of her eyes showing, knocked out cold.

"I'm so sorry...Shiozaki."

"Wow, you aren't hero students for nothing." Kendo and Tetsutetsu's heads whipped around to see Siren walking towards them. "Such powerful and helpful quirks...you must have been beloved and doted as hero students."

Kendo and Tetsutetsu grew silent as Siren gazed at them with ire.

"It must be nice to experience happiness everyday," Shizune whispered softly, "I was just like you once...but I was forced to escape from the eyes of the public after my quirk went berserk. Sneaking in the dark day by day...I was cold...afraid...tired...I was too afraid to speak because I may accidentally trigger my quirk. I was labelled a killer...a monster...and was chased about like some disgusting abomination to be killed!"

"MOVE!" Kendo jumped back in time, just as an invisible blast of sound rippled across the field and destroyed the ear defenders she was wearing. She could feel warm blood trickling down her ears but Kendo ignored this and lunged forward with her fist swelled to the size of a boulder. "HAHHH!" Punching forward with all her might, Siren however managed to swerve to the side and evade it completely.

"Don't think mere hallucinations are the only things I can do," Bringing her flute to her lips, she blasted out another wave of undiluted sound towards her opponent.

Thinking fast, Kendo rolled on the ground and crouched low to let the blade of sound fly past her. But she still gave a silent scream, her ears pulsing painfully even without being directly hit by Siren's [Psychosis] sound attack. _'I have to get the injured out of here first!'_ She narrowed her eyes at Siren, before instructing Tetsutetsu over the loud music. "Tetsutetsu! Carry Shiozaki and Honenuki out of here and get back to camp, I'll handle her!"

Tetsutetsu stared at her in disbelief, "Wha-are you crazy Kendo?! I can still fight!"

"You are the only one strong enough to carry both of them back to the lodge! We don't have enough ear defenders so if they wake up now, they will fall back under the villain's control," she argued, hoping Tetsutetsu would tell the urgency of the situation, "We don't know just how many of us are attacking each other thanks to her flute! You have to get everyone out of her range and inform the teachers to find the rest of the villains, this girl is just a distraction!"

Tetsutetsu's eyes widen slightly, slightly flinching from how his class' big sister was acting. He realized this wasn't the time to argue or fight recklessly, "Got it! But don't you dare fall here Kendo!" Carrying Shiozaki under his arm and Honenuki over his shoulder, he soon made his way towards the camp.

On the other hand, Shizune made no attempt to stop them. "Are you that confident of dealing me by yourself? That arrogance will cut your life short."

"I don't know what you went through in the past," Kendo replied back, her words making Shizune narrow her eyes. "but it doesn't make it right to work with an organization that kills people for fun!" Dashing forward Kendo brought down a thunderous karate chop, but the villain sidestepped it gracefully causing the soil and dirt to dance in the air.

"It must be nice...to say those words so easily!" She declared with intensity, dishing out a powerful wave of sound with the intention of blowing Kendo away.

Kendo gritted her teeth as the blast of sound made her ears throb in pain. "Gargh-!" Once she'd regained her footing she charged once more to deliver a right hook at Siren's head.

But the villain played her instrument with more intensity and increased the volume of her flute.

"GAH!" Kendo gasped in pain, as the full force of Siren's music assaulted her eardrums. Crashing to the ground, she fell hard with blood running down her ears, _"D-Dizzy…! C-Can't…concentrate…!"_

"But...I was saved by _him_." The [Psychosis] villain simply said as she approached, "I was finally given a home. A place where the outcast of this quirk-driven society understands me. If the League falls...I will lose my home again. I will be locked away by you heroes like human filth." She played her flute, not intending to slow her tempo. "He and I will be alone...are you able to bear that pain?"

Kendo pulled herself up slowly and unsteadily, she could still stand but the world in her eyes felt like it was warping and twisting, the voice of Siren echoed eternally within her mind. "So your solution was to join a group of murderers!?" She grunted, trying to focus on the villain infront of her. Dashing forward, she attempted another powerful punch. Siren sidestepped her with gracefulness on par with a dancer's and delivering a vicious kick to Kendo's stomach, making her cough as she fell on her knees once more. "Aargh-!" Kendo cried in pain, clutching her ears as Shizune piled on the high-pitched music with her flute.

"Someone as lucky as you will never understand us," the [Psychosis] villain felt a small grin tug at her lips. "And now I shall inflict the pain I suffered upon you all." Her words caused Kendo's head to raise up despite the pain she was in, watching Siren gesturing to the entire forest they were in. "It's so unfair, isn't it? It's only right for you heroes to understand how we feel. My fear...my horrors...my pain...I'll drive every single one of those feelings into all of your friends."

"STOP IT!" Kendo roared, unleashing her gigantic hands that made Siren stumble away from the big sister of class 1-B. Kendo rose to her feet once again, charging in with reckless abandon and tried to snatch or break away Siren's flute.

"In the beginning, your friends really thought they could beat one lone girl, but their faces gradually began to twist in agony…screaming with pain as I slowly toyed with their senses. Hah…" She answered the attack by gracefully evading Kendo's strikes like a butterfly before blasting Kendo full-force with another high-pitched note. She followed up by slamming the butt of her flute against Kendo's head, breaking the skin of her scalp and causing even more blood to flow out. "Seeing them fighting their own friends like their lives depends on it…I can't get enough of it." Siren's eyes flashed with a sadistic light as her cheeks flushed.

"You…You…bitch!" Kendo bit back a furious scream, ignoring her injuries as she continued her attack, desperately trying to swipe at Siren while the latter toyed with her. _"This girl is dangerous! I have to beat her before anyone else comes here!"_ She told herself, starting to panic as the dizzying feeling in her mind seemed to intensify, her vision twisting out of whack.

Stepping through one of Kendo's attacks, Siren swung her flute and drove it into her back making the girl collapse forward, "The melodic cries of those who labelled me a killer…those who wished me dead…I can't be satisfied without hearing it. So I'll bring you down in the most agonizing way possible."

_"I was a fool…I…I-I can't beat her…!"_ Kendo was beginning to realize, rolling over and tried to clamp the horrible sound in her ears. Dark thought began to pollute her mind as her body lost energy. _"I'm so sorry Tetsutetsu…I'm so sorry everyone!"_ Tears of misery and pain welled up in her eyes and spilled forth.

"Aren't you going to stop me?" Siren continued, raising her flute as she drew closer and a malicious smile on her face. "Just how long are you going to stay conscious in that state?"

_"Think Kendo! Think!"_ The class B president mentally forced her mind into overdrive, eyes clamped shut. _"There has to be something! Something to overcome her quirk! A way to counter! To break free of her music! It's so painful-!"_ Her eyes widened in realization, "Pain! THAT'S IT!" She eyed a certain object on the ground, "STOP!"

Siren coughed a little before she placed her flute upon her lips, "Time to scream." Kendo desperately dived towards Shizune but the latter was faster, blasting out one final deadly verse of sound.

**"Psycho Flute: Harrowing Performance!"**

"HnnnghhhGARGH!" Kendo cried out in pain, an agonizing feeling like drills tearing her eardrums apart as her mind was forcibly shut down. It was indescribable pain, beyond anything she'd expected out of her hero journey and her screamed echoed throughout the forest. Seeing her unmoving, battered body, Siren lowered her instrument and gazed down victoriously.

But Kendo wasn't down for the count, and she had one last trick up her sleeve.

"Ggh-!" Shizune gasped, finding her right arm being gripped with insane strength! The young hero suddenly reached up and grabbed her other arm which held the flute, "Impossible! How did you-?!" Siren exclaimed fearfully, "That last verse should have shut her down completely! She's still moving?! What happened?!"

"Finally got you," Kendo hissed through clenched teeth as blood poured from her ears, "If your hallucinations are as deadly as you say…I'll just have to feel a pain greater than that." She explained while showing a shocked Siren at her bleeding leg, the former lodging a sharp rock into her flesh and blood dripped steadily to the ground. Not wasting a single second, she tightened her grip on Siren's arm, threatening to break bone and causing the lavender-haired villain to fall on her knees. "Your control over one's senses will not work if there is a greater pain to overcome them. With you so close in my range, it's truly over." Kendo forced herself up, refusing to let Siren's arms go as she stood on her two feet.

"Gragh-!" Siren cried in pain as her arms were held down by Kendo, "Nghh-! L-Let me go!" she demanded, trying to hit Kendo with her flute, "N-No-!" she choked as Kendo mercilessly caught her other arm, wrenching the transverse flute away from her grip and snapped it into halves. "How dare you...?!"

"You may be right, I'm perhaps someone who gets to live a happy life without doing anything. I don't know anything about you, and I'm sure you have your own circumstances to why you turned out like this. But even so…" Kendo declared, shifting her foot and tensed her arm muscles. She concentrated all her remaining power into her two fist after releasing Siren's broken ones, "It's not right to drag others into your own misery!"

Siren could feel Kendo's twin fist crashing into her midriff and rapidly enlarging in form, the latter's maximum power being driven into her body. Her mask cracked as Siren despaired, "S-Shepherd…I'm so sorry…!"

**"DOUBLE JUMBO FIST!"**

Two giant fists erupted against Siren, a shockwave coursing through as the girl was smashed through the trees. A few of them fell to the ground while Siren's broken body skidded to a halt, the broken remains of her flute lying by her side. "ah…agh…!"

As Kendo lifted her head tiredly, she could make out the fallen figure of Siren crying. She was saying something, but her ears were ringing too loudly for her to make out the words. Just as she was about to collapse herself, shouts became audible in the distance, and suddenly she found herself in the arms of her homeroom teacher Vlad King. Eraserhead was charging in to secure the villain while Tetsutetsu appeared by her side, and her classmate's worried shouts were the last thing she could remember before she drifted into unconsciousness.

.

**=[Training Camp Forest, with Todoroki]=**

"Attention all students! This is a message from Eraserhead! Everyone is permitted to combat, but try to group together and make your way back to the lodge! We have intel that the villains are looking for a student! Do not wander off on your own at any cost!"

By the time Mandalay's message rang through Todoroki's mind, the boy knew it was already too late. He was suppressed by Shepherd and Bakugo was missing, and Shoto couldn't help but imagine the worst case scenario. Now he was trying to catch his breath along with Midoriya, Shoji, and Tokoyami. He'd woken up from his wounds to find a horribly injured Midoriya and Shoji crashing through the woods, with a berserk Tokoyami chasing after them. Even though Todoroki was still groggy from the previous battle, he was still able to create fire and conjured light bright enough to place [Dark Shadow] back under Tokoyami's control. Once that was settled and Tokoyami regained composure, both side quickly compared notes.

Shoji approached his partner, "Tokoyami, are you alright?"

"Sorry Shoji…I was careless. I let my anger take over and released Dark Shadow…The influence of darkness and my emotions caused him to go berserk. In the end, I lost control and ended up hurting all of you."

"We can worry about that later, first off…" the [Dupli-arm] user replied. "What was that announcement all about?"

"They are after Bakugo," Todoroki said. "I suspect he was already taken by Shepherd."

"Wait – Kacchan?!" Midoriya exclaimed

"Bakugo? Why him?" Shoji wondered in shock. "and along the way I'd heard from Midoriya that he fought Shepherd earlier!"

"That's impossible. Bakugo and I have been fighting him for the past half-hour."

"I suspect that I was fighting a clone; the villains probably have someone with a quirk which allows them to create perfect replicas." Midoriya deduced as Shoji helped him down from his back, both of the OFA successor's arms riddled with bruises and poisonous wounds from his previous battle. "But there is still time, we can still find him and take him back if we find Shepherd."

"That will be dangerous," Shoji interjected. "We don't know how many other villains are out there and we don't know for sure if Bakugo has been taken away. Maybe it would be better for us to head back to the camp. Perhaps Bakugo managed to shake off his pursuers and regrouped with everyone else."

"If that's the case, we would have heard the announcement from Mandalay," Todoroki grimaced. "Bakugo's probably still in the forest, and in the worst case, he's probably taken down."

"What do we do now? Head back to the camp and inform everyone of the villain's objective? Or do we press on and search for Bakugo?" Tokoyami asked.

"It would be too late by the time we reach the camp with our injuries. We might have the advantage if we were to try finding him while the Pros are fighting the rest of the villains," Midoriya said. "And with our current numbers we might stand a better chance."

"But your injuries," Todoroki noted with concern.

"It doesn't matter, we have to find both Shepherd and Bakugo before it's too late!"

.

**=[To be Continued]=**

A/N: One has succeeded, while one has failed. Write a review on what you think and see you next time!


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